![]() ![]() The Alliance would have given them good cause to do so, having staged numerous significant attacks against the Empire across the galaxy. ![]() In Star Wars Rebels, those in Imperial high command would have almost certainly designated the Rebel Alliance as a declared hostile force by the time of Thrawn’s attack. However, once they started firing on the stormtroopers, they were committing hostile acts-conduct that revealed their status as fighters and legally justified the Imperials’ use of force against them. Therefore, Imperial forces had no legal basis to attack them. Before the attack, Saw Gerrera’s fighters were indistinguishable from other civilians milling about in Jedha City. That status means that if Americans spotted a group of German soldiers singing kumbaya around a campfire they could attack them, even though the Germans weren’t engaged in combat.Īlternatively, if an person or group is not part of a declared hostile force, they can become a lawful target through certain conduct. If a person or group displays hostile intent or commits a hostile act, they can be lawfully attacked based on that hostile conduct. In other words, if someone’s conduct reveals that they are hostile, they can be lawfully attacked. The Jedha ambush scene in Rogue One is a great example of conduct-based targeting. For example, in World War II, the German Army was declared a hostile force as part of the United States’ declaration of war. Declared hostile forces can be lawfully attacked even if they are not openly engaged in hostilities. Once the proper authority makes that designation, that group is officially called a “declared hostile force.” That status has a serious effect. A person or group can be considered “hostile” in one of two ways: By being declared a hostile force or by demonstrating hostility through one’s conduct.Ĭertain high-level officials have the legal authority to designate (or declare) that a group is a hostile force. Under the law of war, force can only be used against those who are considered hostiles or are part of a hostile force. Militaries cannot legally use force against anyone they wish. One of the central legal issues is whether the Empire could lawfully attack the Rebels, who were not actively engaged in any type of combat at the time. Thrawn, the skilled maestro…except instead of violins and trumpets he conducts scathing batteries of turbolasers and legions of deadly ground forces. Here, instead of defending themselves from attack, the Imperials are the ones pressing the fight. Unlike those scenarios, Thrawn’s assault in Zero Hour is an offensive operation in which the Imperials seize a tactical advantage to surprise and destroy the Alliance. In those situations, Imperial forces typically rely upon their inherent right to self-defense to justify their use of force. Time and again Rebels has shown the Imperials in a reactive stance in which the Rebels attack and the Imperials respond. The nature of the attack really sets the Imperial assault on Atollon apart from other skirmishes in Rebels. Since the audience was mercifully spared from any scenes involving the inner workings of the lengthy and arduous military planning process, let’s fill in the gap by analyzing whether Thrawn’s assault was legal. A critical part of that planning process involves making sure that the use of force will be lawful. In the real world, offensive military operations are shaped through careful and deliberate planning. The episode was truly unique because we have never seen the Imperials launch a large-scale attack against a combined element of the Rebel Alliance in the show. In Zero Hour, Imperial forces took decisive offensive action against the Rebel fleet and its secret base (as well as a very pissed off Bendu). How many times did you practice saying that one in front of the mirror, Grand Admiral? ![]() After discovering the Rebel Alliance’s secret base on the planet Atollon, Thrawn swept in with his fleet to crush the Alliance and, in true bad guy style, delivered some dastardly lines to the heroes about their impending doom. Cue up those ominous pipe organs from Grand Admiral Thrawn’s theme song, because the Empire’s master tactician finally cornered the Rebellion in Zero Hour, the season finale of Star Wars Rebels. ![]()
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