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41 N.Y.U. J. Int'l L. & Pol. 540 (2008-2009)
The Iraq War and International Law

handle is hein.journals/nyuilp41 and id is 544 raw text is: INTERNATIONAL LAW AND POLFFICS Ultimately, the book falls short of its ultimate goal be- cause it fails to convince the reader that its central question is worth asking. Why is it so important to have a precise defini- tion of terrorism when, frankly, everyone has for decades known more or less what the topic is even without an iron-clad definition for guidance? The answer may lie in Saul's insis- tence that terrorism should be criminalized by the UN and the International Criminal Court. Criminal law, even after centu- ries of refinement, does not have perfect definitions for crimes. Exigent circumstances and bizarre fact patterns rou- tinely combine to challenge overarching definitions and con- found first-year law students and seasoned practitioners alike. However, in the realm of domestic law these definitions are seen as good enough; prudent judges and juries are well equipped to handle the remaining ambiguities. In the inter- national sphere, sovereign nations have done a fairly good job of tackling the parallel ambiguities with regards to terrorism. In this regard, perhaps Defining Terrorism gets closer to the mark than it realizes. Instead of spending thousands of hours debating the precise wording, the UN and other international bodies would be better served by admitting that ambiguity is inherent in any discussion of terrorism-both concerning the aspects of what acts constitute terrorism, and how, if at all, the moral virtuousness of the actor reshapes our understanding of the violence. Answers to the more important questions re- garding terrorism-such as how to combat it and ultimately eliminate its sources-do not require a precise definition. In- stead, they require international actors to move beyond defini- tional struggles and address the real issues. The Iraq War and International Law. Edited by Phil Shiner and Andrew Williams. Portland, Oregon: Hart Publishing, 2008. Pp. xxxiii, 348. $63.00 (hardcover). REVIEWED BY MATTHEW RAND In the introduction to The Iraq War and International Law, Williams sets two overarching purposes for the book's collec- tion of thirteen essays: assessing whether the Iraq War funda- mentally realigned international law and determining the re- sponse to the War within international law. The book is organ- ized into three broad sections, jus ad bellum, jus in bello, and jus Imaged with the Permission of N.Y.U Journal of International Law and Politics [Vol. 41:507