About this episode

The episode discusses whether Hizballah can be classified as a mercenary organization due to its support and direction from Iran.

The common definition of a mercenary is a soldier paid to fight in an armed conflict for a country that is not his or her own. The terrorist organization Hizballah operates in Lebanon, fighting against Israel, with financial, material and organizational support from Iran, and frequently under the direction of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Under the common definition, could Hizballah be considered mercenaries fighting for Iran? Royce de Melo, Doug Brooks, and I discuss this question in this episode of the Ancient Art of Modern Warfare. References: Hague 1907: Convention (IV) respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land and its annex: Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land. The Hague, 18 October 1907. (definition of lawful combatant) https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/hague-conv-iv-1907 Article 47, Additional Protocol (I) to the Geneva Conventions, 1977 (definition of mercenary) (The United States is not a party to this Protocol) https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/api-1977?activeTab=1949GCs-APs-and-commentaries United Nations Mercenary Convention: International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of…

People in this episode

Host: Chris Mayer

Guests: Royce de Melo, Doug Brooks

Topics covered

• mercenaries
• Hizballah
• Iran
• military strategy
• international law

Keywords

• Hizballah
• mercenary
• Iran
• military
• international law
• Revolutionary Guard
• conflict

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hizballah, Iran, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, United Nations

Books & works: Hague 1907: Convention (IV) respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land, Article 47, Additional Protocol (I) to the Geneva Conventions, 1977, International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries

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