E62: Mercenaries, Terrorism, and War Crimes

The difference between war and terrorism is that war is, in theory, governed by international law, whereas terrorism is criminal in nature and execution. So where does that leave the use of mercenaries in modern warfare, and particularly the infamous Wagner Group? Are they terrorists? Are they legitimate combatants? Are they both or something else? Can official designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization close an accountability gap?

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For more information see:

The Department of Defense Law of War Manual, 2015

The Lawfare Blog: It’s Time to Designate the Wagner as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, June 30, 2022, https://www.lawfareblog.com/its-time-designate-wagner-group-foreign-terrorist-organization

 

Music:

Les Preludes: Liszt; Recorded by USMC Band (Public Domain)

Mecenaries: Per Killstofte/Machinasound (Licensed)