Most states, most of the time, seek to justify their use of violence against other states, using both legal and moral arguments. The course first examines the much-disputed relationship between law, morality and politics. It then explores topics such as: just war and self-defence; armed intervention with other states (from assassination to humanitarian intervention); laws of armed conflict; terrorists, irregulars and mercenaries; regulation of weapons of war; use of force by the United Nations; and enforcement of law by international courts. The course also asks whether individuals, civilian and military, can conscientiously object to violence by their state.