first edition 1998An internationally prominent activist for human rights examines the war crimes of recent world history and demonstrates the need for the creation of a permanent tribunal at the United Nations to judge and sentence war criminals. 15,000 first printing. Aryeh Neier, human rights activist and former executive director of Human Rights Watch, has created a work that is both a comprehensive history and a forward-looking treatise on the institution of war tribunals. Shedding an especially penetrating light on the genocidal actions that took place in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, War Crimes catalogs and addresses the many issues surrounding the prosecution of war crimes, including accusations of "victor's justice," international jurisprudence, and the accountability of lower-ranking officers. Many times, Neier reveals, the parties responsible for war crimes manage to escape retribution for want of a favorable transition of political power. As a possible remedy, Neier argues for the creation of a permanent international war crimes tribunal. Without melodrama or hyperbole, Neier draws the reader into reasoned discourse on the conduct of soldiers and the appalling consequences of war. --Brendan J. LaSalle