parlimentaire

thumb|A blindfolded American parlimentaire led by two German soldiers (November 1944) A parlimentaire or parlementaire is defined by the U.S. Department of Defense as "an agent employed by a commander of belligerent forces in the field to go in person within the enemy lines for the purpose of communicating or negotiating openly and directly with the enemy commander".

==History== Even in war, the belligerents sometimes need to communicate, or negotiate. In the Middle Ages, heralds were used to deliver declarations of war and ultimata as a form of one-sided communication. But for two-sided communication, agents were needed who could also negotiate. These usually operated under a flag of truce and enjoyed temporary inviolability according to the customs and laws of war. Breaches of the customary protection of parlimentaires were deemed perfidy.