Ulf Bernitz, JD - US - Iraq War - ProCon.org

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US - IRAQ WAR

Ulf Bernitz, JD Biography
Title:	Professor of European Law at Stockholm University
Position:	Con to the question "Should the US Have Attacked Iraq?"
Reasoning:	"There is no justification under international law for the use of military force against Iraq. The UN charter outlaws the use of force with only two exceptions: individual or collective self-defence in response to an armed attack and action authorised by the security council as a collective response to a threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression. There are currently no grounds for a claim to use such force in self-defence. The doctrine of pre-emptive self-defence against an attack that might arise at some hypothetical future time has no basis in international law. Neither security council resolution 1441 nor any prior resolution authorises the proposed use of force in the present circumstances... A decision to undertake military action in Iraq without proper security council authorisation will seriously undermine the international rule of law. Of course, even with that authorisation, serious questions would remain. A lawful war is not necessarily a just, prudent or humanitarian war." "War Would Be Illegal," The Guardian, Mar. 7, 2003
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:	Experts Individuals with PhD's, JD's, or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to the US - Iraq conflict. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to the US - Iraq conflict.
Involvement and Affiliations:	Professor of European Law, Stockholm University, Sweden Visiting Professor of European Law, Örebro University, Sweden 2002-present Director, Wallenberg Foundation Oxford/Stockholm Association in European Law, Institute of European and Comparative Law, University of Oxford, 2001-present President, FIDE (Féderation Internationale pour le Droit Européen), 1996-1998 President, Swedish Assocation of European Law, 1994 President, Swedish Association for Marketing Law, 1971 President, Swedish Association for the Protection of Industrial Property, 1974-1997 Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Consumer Policy, 1979-1994 Member, Advisory Board, Common Market Law Review, 1996 Chairman of Editorial Board, Scandinavian Studies in Law, 1995 Founder and Chairman, Editorial Board, Europarättslig Tidskrift (Journal of European Law), 1998 Chairman Styrelsen, Nordic Intellectual Property Review, 1975
Education:	JD, Stockholm University, 1969 Master of Comparative Jurisprudence, New York University, 1963 LLM, Stockholm University, 1959
Other:	None found
Quoted in:	1. Was the preemptive invasion of Iraq a violation of international law?

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