--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Indiscriminate attacks on civilians…" description: "\"Indiscriminate attacks on civilians ought, under all circumstances, to be illegal in war as in peacetime.\" — Gijs de Vries" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/gijs-de-vries-18938_attacks_indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ough_2202296.png" --- # Indiscriminate attacks on civilians ought, under all… ![“Indiscriminate attacks on civilians ought, under all circumstances, to be illegal in war as in peacetime.” quote by Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/gijs-de-vries-18938_attacks_indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ough_2202296.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/gijs-de-vries-18938_attacks_indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ough_2202296.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/gijs-de-vries-18938_attacks_indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ough_2202296.png) > “Indiscriminate attacks on civilians ought, under all circumstances, to be illegal in war as in peacetime.” [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attacks on civilians should be illegal in all contexts, mirroring peacetime protections, emphasizing universal moral standards. **In simple terms:** Civilian attacks must be illegal always. Key Takeaway Uphold universal protection. Themes ethics law human rights Mood serious determined Type legal political When to use this quote - policy making - military training - humanitarian advocacy - legal education Key Concepts war crimes legal norms moral universality Questions to Reflect On - How can international law be strengthened? - What mechanisms ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Enforcement varies across conflicts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacks/) [Attacks Civilians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacks-civilians-1737288/) [Circumstances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances/) [Civilians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilians/) [Civilians Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilians-ought-4842464/) [Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal/) [Illegal War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal-war-871182/) [Indiscriminate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indiscriminate/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Peacetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-peacetime-2961933/) ## Related quotes > [“It was the price of fighting a war during peacetime”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-w-lemoine/it-was-the-price-of-fighting-a-war-during-peacetime/) [C.W. Lemoine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-w-lemoine/) > [There is nothing in ANC policy which calls for attacks on civilians in supermarkets, schools, and cinemas unless these are regarded as military installations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-tambo/there-is-nothing-in-anc-policy-which-calls-for-attacks-on-civilians/) [Oliver Tambo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-tambo/) > [Egypt firmly and strongly condemns such attacks on civilians and soldiers that led to the deaths of a large number of innocent victims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosni-mubarak/egypt-firmly-and-strongly-condemns-such-attacks-on-civilians-and/) [Hosni Mubarak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosni-mubarak/) > [A legitimate democracy cannot act against a terror organization because it is using civilians as a human shield, and therefore it should absorb attacks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/a-legitimate-democracy-cannot-act-against-a-terror-organization/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [I think attacks on civilians in fact boost morale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-think-attacks-on-civilians-in-fact-boost-morale/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [ \[T\]he Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar Left, and black people. You understand what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ehrlichman/t-he-nixon-campaign-in-1968-and-the-nixon-white-house-after-that-had/) [John Ehrlichman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ehrlichman/) > [American GIs don't fight this unjust immoral and illegal war of Johnson's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanoi-hannah/american-gis-don-t-fight-this-unjust-immoral-and-illegal-war-of/) [Hanoi Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanoi-hannah/) > [To deny a genocide because of convenience and expediency having to do with an illegal war or occupation in Iraq to me, is double…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serj-tankian/to-deny-a-genocide-because-of-convenience-and-expediency-having-to-do/) [Serj Tankian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serj-tankian/) > [We will not stand for it any more. No more lies. No more pre-emptive, illegal war, based on false information. No more God-is-on-our-side religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocky-anderson/we-will-not-stand-for-it-any-more-no-more-lies-no-more-pre-emptive/) [Rocky Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rocky-anderson/) > [We cannot take the president off the hook for an illegal war that was based on lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/we-cannot-take-the-president-off-the-hook-for-an-illegal-war-that-was/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [We will not stand for it any more. No more lies. No more pre-emptive, illegal war, based on false information. No more God-is-on-our-side religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocky-anderson/we-will-not-stand-for-it-any-more-no-more-lies-no-more-pre-emptive-2/) [Rocky Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rocky-anderson/) > [There is a series of sectors which could be severely disrupted by terrorist attacks, particularly if they were to happen in several member states…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/there-is-a-series-of-sectors-which-could-be-severely-disrupted-by/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [“He's indiscriminate with his charm. I find it more telling whom he chooses to vex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-davis/he-s-indiscriminate-with-his-charm-i-find-it-more-telling-whom-he/) [Miranda Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-davis/) > [Where land mines are indiscriminate, cheap, and brutal, drones are discriminate, expensive, and brutal. And yet they are insufficiently discriminate: the assassination of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/where-land-mines-are-indiscriminate-cheap-and-brutal-drones-are/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [He objected, though, to indiscriminate reading. 'One must have some question,' he wrote, 'addressed to the book one is going to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kropotkin/he-objected-though-to-indiscriminate-reading-one-must-have-some/) [Peter Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kropotkin/) ## More by Gijs de Vries > [I have never come across a technology that doesn't change. This is inevitable. You have to adapt your systems as technology develops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/i-have-never-come-across-a-technology-that-doesn-t-change-this-is/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [Muslim organisations tend to have a low level of organisation. The communities in Europe are quite diverse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/muslim-organisations-tend-to-have-a-low-level-of-organisation-the/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [The idea is to have global standards. There is so much travel that if you just had a regional standard, it would probably ultimately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/the-idea-is-to-have-global-standards-there-is-so-much-travel-that-if/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [Ultimately, freedom and democracy are stronger than fear and tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/ultimately-freedom-and-democracy-are-stronger-than-fear-and-tyranny/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [If information ends up in the wrong hands, the lives of people very often are immediately at risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/if-information-ends-up-in-the-wrong-hands-the-lives-of-people-very/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [Look at Iraq; look at Afghanistan, where at great personal physical risk people have gone to the polls and have rejected the appeal from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/look-at-iraq-look-at-afghanistan-where-at-great-personal-physical/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [In situations of military conflict, civil strife, lawlessness, bad governance, and human rights violations, terrorists find it easier to hide, train and prepare their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/in-situations-of-military-conflict-civil-strife-lawlessness-bad/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [The European Borders Agency in Warsaw has been created to help border forces in Europe cooperate more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/the-european-borders-agency-in-warsaw-has-been-created-to-help-border/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [The violent radicals do not legitimately represent the overwhelming majority of the world's Muslims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/the-violent-radicals-do-not-legitimately-represent-the-overwhelming/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [It's important that we work very closely with moderate Muslim forces locally, nationally and internationally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/it-s-important-that-we-work-very-closely-with-moderate-muslim-forces/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [In the fight against terrorism, national agencies keep full control over their police forces, security and intelligence agencies and judicial authorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/in-the-fight-against-terrorism-national-agencies-keep-full-control/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [The key to tackling Islamist fundamentalism and terrorism from the Islamist community is in the hands of moderate Muslims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/the-key-to-tackling-islamist-fundamentalism-and-terrorism-from-the/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [If you combat an international phenomenon, it is indispensable to share information internationally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/if-you-combat-an-international-phenomenon-it-is-indispensable-to/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [In intelligence work, there are limits to the amount of information one can share. Confidentiality is essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/in-intelligence-work-there-are-limits-to-the-amount-of-information/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [Terrorists have failed to trigger mass conflict between Muslims and non-Muslims in Europe. We should draw strength from that fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/terrorists-have-failed-to-trigger-mass-conflict-between-muslims-and/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) [Explore all 33 Gijs de Vries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) ## More Attacks quotes > [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/) [David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/) > [I personally felt that his ad hominen attacks on British architects were not the sort of thing a Prince of Wales should be doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/i-personally-felt-that-his-ad-hominen-attacks-on-british-architects/) [Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [If nothing else, the cyber attacks that occurred during the 2016 presidential election have laid bare the very real vulnerabilities that exist across our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/if-nothing-else-the-cyber-attacks-that-occurred-during-the-2016/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [We've had Saudis and Jordanians and Pakistanis who have - and Syrians - who have been involved in armed attacks against coalition forces in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/we-ve-had-saudis-and-jordanians-and-pakistanis-who-have-and-syrians/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [“At the same time that we see a massive deployment of wireless radiation, we see the most violent attacks on modern society.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/at-the-same-time-that-we-see-a-massive-deployment-of-wireless/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [At sleepovers I would have panic attacks trying to break it to girls that they didn't want to kiss me without outing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/io-tillett-wright/at-sleepovers-i-would-have-panic-attacks-trying-to-break-it-to-girls/) [iO Tillett Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/io-tillett-wright/) > [I knew I was having a panic attack. I hadn't had one in a while, though, and I'd forgotton how it makes me feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/i-knew-i-was-having-a-panic-attack-i-hadn-t-had-one-in-a-while-though/) [Hemantsmarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemantsmarty/) > [We now know that gun-free zones, though well intentioned, do not prevent attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/we-now-know-that-gun-free-zones-though-well-intentioned-do-not/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) > [Weichel hits very hard and is very good with the timing of his attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricio-freire/weichel-hits-very-hard-and-is-very-good-with-the-timing-of-his-attacks/) [Patricio Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricio-freire/) > [The wrongful arrest of tens of thousands of British Muslims after the September 11 attacks can be explained by the very poor intelligence the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-wrongful-arrest-of-tens-of-thousands-of-british-muslims-after-the/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Mediocrity always attacks excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/mediocrity-always-attacks-excellence/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [The majority of terrorist attacks that have been disrupted in the United States have been disrupted due to things like the Time Square bomber,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-majority-of-terrorist-attacks-that-have-been-disrupted-in-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We can't gather the intelligence we need to foil future attacks, if we are blindly granting terrorists the right to remain silent. But for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-can-t-gather-the-intelligence-we-need-to-foil-future-attacks-if-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Less than a year after the Sept. 11 attacks, al-Qaida attacks were continuing: the firebombing of a synagogue in Tunisia in April, a bomb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/less-than-a-year-after-the-sept-11-attacks-al-qaida-attacks-were/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) [Browse all 291 Attacks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Indiscriminate attacks on civilians ought, under all circumstances, to be illegal in war as in peacetime.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gijs de Vries" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ought-under-all-circumstances-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attacks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ought-under-all-circumstances-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/gijs-de-vries-18938_attacks_indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ough_2202296.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/gijs-de-vries-18938_attacks_indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ough_2202296.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/gijs-de-vries-18938_attacks_indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ough_2202296.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Indiscriminate attacks on civilians ought, under all circumstances, to be illegal in war as in peacetime.” — Gijs de Vries", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gijs de Vries", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Indiscriminate attacks on civilians ought, under...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ought-under-all-circumstances-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/indiscriminate-attacks-on-civilians-ought-under-all-circumstances-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```