Craig Jones, Lecturer, Newcastle University

Dr Craig Jones is a Lecturer in Political Geography in the School of Geography, Sociology and Politics at Newcastle University. He completed his PhD in Geography at the University of British Columbia in 2017. He researches the geographies of later modern warfare and is especially interested legal and medical materialities of war and conflict in the contemporary Middle East. He is currently working on a second book project titled Wounds Without Borders, supported by the Independent Social Research Foundation (ISRF). He blogs at www.thewarspace.com and tweets at: @thewarspace.

"His book is the most comprehensive survey of the history and role of war lawyers published to date." - Peter Burdon, Alternative Law Journal

"Jones not only takes readers through a meticulously-researched historical account of the emergence of legal experts into key positions of influence the US and Israeli militaries but also embeds them deep in the internecine workings of the 'kill chains' that facilitate the martial violence of forces. Without question, it offers a stellar contribution to the study of international law and warfare." - Tracey Blasenheim, Society and Space

"The War Lawyers offers an in-depth account of the role of legal advisors in modern military operations, and the juridification of warfare more generally, that will be of interest to many readers...The War Lawyers will have made a commendable contribution." - Aurel Sari, Journal of Conflict and Security Law

"Jones provides a fascinating treatment on what US and Israeli military lawyers (and I would venture to say other such lawyers providing similar services in other militaries in like circumstances) do when called to give advice on how the rules of engagement can be shaped to fit what is considered military necessity or in giving advice on targets, whether it is on an individual suspected of being a terrorist or infrastructure considered a war sustaining object... I highly recommend THE WAR LAWYERS." - Michael G. Karnavas, International Criminal Law Blog

"In his new book, The War Lawyers, Craig Jones challenges the conventional narrative and demonstrates how the inhumanity regularly on display in war is, in fact, often a byproduct of the law itself." - Maryam Jamshidi, University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Völkerrechtsblog

"Jones' account of the evolution of the 'kill chain' lawyer makes both fascinating and sobering reading." - Nicholas Goodman, The Law Society Gazette

"The War Lawyers is an impressive piece of work. Jones has produced a magnificent book, which is not only an absolute pleasure to read but makes an invaluable contribution to debates about military law. Although previous studies have pointed to the ways in which the law might enable rather than restrain the violence inflicted on the battlefield, nobody has been able to document this relationship in such a thorough and incisive manner. Jones provides us with a book that is not only rich with empirical detail but equips us with the theoretical tools needed to interrogate how contemporary practices of violence are legitimised despite the enormous death and destruction left in their wake." - Thomas Gregory, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Security Dialogue