Introduction

• Author: Dennis L. Mandsager
• Position: Professor of Law & Chairman, International Law Department
• Pages: xi-xii

Introduction

TheUS Naval War College hosted its sixth annual International Law Confer-

ence during June 2006. The purpose ofthese conferences is to bring together

international scholars and practitioners, military experts and students to examine

legal issues impacting military operations of the day. Commencing with the inau-

gural conference in 2001, the Naval War College's internationally acclaimed Inter-

national Law Studies ("Blue Book") series has been devoted to the conference

subjects. This edition of the "Blue Book" continues that tradition. During 28-30

June, 2006, the Naval War College conducted aconference entitled Global Legal

Challenges: Command of the Commons, Strategic Communications and Natural Di-

sasters. Three main challenges were explored by the conference:

•Threats emanating from the global commons and the need to identify and

counter those threats;

•Combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, events that occurred during

those operations and worldwide perceptions of the US role in and responsibility

for those events; and

•Natural disasters of such magnitude international responses were required,

including within the United States of America.

This volume of the International Law Studies series is acompilation of remarks

made during the colloquium and articles which expand upon the thoughts articu-

lated during the colloquium by the authors.

The conference was organized by Professor Jane Dalton, the Naval War Col-

lege's Charles H. Stockton Professor of International Law, and Major Richard

Jaques, US Marine Corps, of the International Law Department. The conference

was cosponsored by the Lieber Society on the Law ofArmed Conflict of the Ameri-

can Society of International Law, and was made possible through the support of

the Naval War College Foundation, Roger Williams University School of Law and

the Israel Yearbook on Human Rights. Without the dedicated efforts and support

and assistance of these individuals and organizations the conference would not

have been possible.

Ialso thank our editorial team, Professor Emeritus Jack Grunawalt and Captain

Ralph Thomas, JAGC, US Navy (Ret.). Their dedication, conscientiousness, and

perseverance were principally responsible for the production ofthis excellent addi-

tion to the International Law Studies series. Major Mike Carsten, US Marine