The moral limits of war: banning weapons that cause 'unnecessary suffering'

Health · Published 19 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Some weapons are so cruel they transcend the rules of combat, targeting human dignity rather than just military objectives. Since 1980, an international treaty has sought to outlaw specific technologies—from blinding lasers to incendiary devices—designed to inflict excessive injury or indiscriminate harm on both soldiers and civilians.

The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), established in Geneva in 1980, operates on a core ethical principle: protecting humans from 'unnecessary suffering.' Unlike total bans on certain categories of weaponry, the CCW focuses on specific types of conventional arms deemed excessively injurious or indiscriminate. It covers five distinct areas through separate protocols: landmines and booby traps, incendiary weapons, blinding laser weapons, non-detectable fragments in the human body (such as those from certain types of shrapnel), and the clearance of explosive remnants left behind after hostilities end.

The treaty's evolution reflects a growing global awareness of long-term humanitarian impacts. For instance, Protocol II was amended in 1996 to extend landmine restrictions to internal conflicts and established reliability standards for remotely delivered mines. Similarly, Protocol V was adopted in 2003 specifically because the international community realized that protection against unexploded ordnance—like cluster bomb bomblets—was insufficient. These rules apply even after active fighting stops, requiring states to remove hazards from territory they control.

Despite its reach, the CCW faces significant structural hurdles. It currently lacks a formal verification or enforcement mechanism to ensure compliance, and it has no established process for resolving disputes over treaty violations. While 128 state parties joined as of July 2024, some countries only adopt a subset of the five protocols. Furthermore, major powers have historically opposed certain restrictions—such as those on anti-vehicle mines or international bans on lethal autonomous weapons—highlighting the ongoing tension between military utility and humanitarian ethics.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

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