In terms of the diverse nature of contemporary armed conflicts and the different types of missions on which multinational forces are now deployed, the law of armed conflict "is a mess, or it just isn't," according to the editors (professors of law at Aberystwyth U., Wales), who present this collection of nine essays in an effort to promote a more coherent and comprehensive framework of law to apply, primarily, to "peace-keeping operations" deployed by the United Nations (as well as other international military missions conducted by international organizations or coalition forces). The authors seek to identify and apply rules and principles from existing customary and conventional international law and existing Rules of Engagement provided to multinational forces in the field. They also address such issues as the development of international criminal law, the responsibility of international organizations under whose mandate military forces act, and crisis operations in the maritime environment. Martinus Nijhoff is an imprint of Brill. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)