Protection of Medical Units Under the Geneva Conventions in the Contemporary Operating Environment

The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols form the foundation of the Law of Armed Conflict, guiding U.S. Army practices in conventional warfare. However, the Global War on Terror has created challenges for medical units, which struggle to care for the wounded while ensuring their own safety. This thesis examines whether these treaties are outdated in the context of modern warfare, proposing that medical units could be allowed to use more advanced weaponry under specific conditions to enhance their operational effectiveness and security.