The killing of Salah Shehade and the associated deaths of civilians surrounding him point to a dilemma in the present-day military balance of power, a dilemma with both tactical and strategic implications, as strikes continue against non-uniformed, nonstate actors. On the one hand, the current technology and capacity of Western armed forces precludes any insurgent attempt at uniformed resistance in keeping with the codes and norms of the Geneva Convention, leaving recourse only to drastic measures, such as the use of human shields. On the other hand, even targeted killing of non-uniformed personnel has drawbacks, not only ethically in terms of collateral damage, but also strategically insofar as it presents an opportunity for media exploitation.
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