Ian Henderson’s research while affiliated with Center for Asia Pacific Exchange and other places

In 2009, the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University published the Manual on International Law Applicable to Air and Missile Warfare and an associated Commentary. The stated purpose of the Manual is to restate the current customary international law governing air and missile warfare. It purports to be neither a draft treaty nor an attempt to develop the law. There is no equivalent publication available, with the nearest similar document being the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea. This article summarizes the development of the Manual and provides a critique of its content. While some doubt is expressed about some aspects of the Manual, the article concludes that the Manual does an excellent job of achieving its purpose, and that both the Manual and Commentary are a valuable contribution to the available literature.