A Farewell to Wars

'Is the plague of war slowly becoming a thing of the past, despite its occasional outbreaks? Stepping back from the here and now, this colossal work shines a light on the big picture of all the armed conflicts that have taken place, but also the conflicts that have been settled without bloodshed, since the Second World War. A huge task, fulfilled successfully and argued plausibly, this is a ray of hope in these bleak times in international relations.' Beatrice Heuser, University of Glasgow 'For some seventy years, Hans Blix has contributed significantly to the study and practice – and practical application – of international law. For decades, he served as Sweden's most senior international legal official in its Foreign Ministry, eventually as Foreign Minister, as Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and as the chief of the international inspectorate surveying Iraq's armaments. A pre-eminent preoccupation has been substituting the rule of law for recourse to international warfare. His study, A Farewell to Wars, while hopefully entitled, comes as Europe has reverted to being the field of major aggression and embattled self-defence. Its timeliness is all the greater.' Judge Stephen Schwebel 'Hans Blix deserves our gratitude for sharing his impressive experience. His book provides an excellent insight into the international legal order as it stands today. And it challenges readers to continue with the search for a farewell to wars without taking this goal for granted.' Dieter Fleck, Journal of Conflict & Security Law 'A Farewell to Wars is a monumental work about interstate use of force and armed intervention in the domestic affairs of others.' Samtiden Journal 'A monumental work about interstate use of force and armed intervention in the domestic affairs of others.' Sverre Lodgaard, Samtiden Journal