When Letter of the Law Does Not Spell 'Clarity'
The Code's Key Words

The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and subsequent amendments require the parties in conflict to protect civilian victims. The amendments include the following.

ARTICLE 57 Lists various precautions in conducting military operations and includes these phrases:

"Do everything feasible to verify that the objectives to be attacked are neither civilian nor civilian objects."

"Minimiz[e] incidental loss of civilian life."

"Refrain from deciding to launch any attack which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life."

ARTICLE 58 Sets requirements for the warring parties in these words:

"Remove the civilian population, individual civilians and civilian objects . . . from the vicinity of military objectives."

"Avoid locating military objectives within or near densely populated areas."

"Protect the civilian population . . . against the dangers resulting from military operations."
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/01/international/middleeast/01LAW.html