Remote warfare and the legitimacy of military capabilities

Military power relies upon military capabilities, generated by organisations, infrastructure, and defence establishments. This paper highlights the importance of remote warfare to research on transformation in contemporary world. It draws attention relationship between capabilities that enable states intervene physically distant conflicts their political legitimacy. argues is best understood as a family resemblance legitimacy problems associated with rather than category warfare, set tactics, or strategy. then identifies framework for understanding varied types warfare: consists examine how affect ability act without violating international norms, governments domestic constraints, control exposure interventions at distance, avoid responsibility consequences. The this approach highlighted way it helps explain controversies over infrastructure used support therefore work wider study power.