Aren't Rules of War ridiculous?

Mack Bolan

I agree to a point, but as a member of the US Army, I would have to disagree overall. As I completed BCT I heard alot about how we should just drop a bomb and wipe out the lot overseas, my question is how can anyone want to kill everyone in a culture just because of the actions of a few (can anyone say Holocust again). As far as how it pertains to POW it is a good idea so hopefully you can get the POW back to base to answer important questions about the enemy. Also remember yes war does bring out the worst in some people, but rules in combat can turn the tide in a battle. Say if a person decides he didn't want to fight on the "bad guy side" he knows he would be protected if he turns himself in to the "opposing" forces. Hope this helps some.

C = JD

I suspect if you were a prisoner of war, you might find some comfort in knowing that an objective set of rules out there existed that mandated your humane treatment.

True, they always can be ignored, but any law can be ignored. The fact that a rule can be ignored is not justification for not creating one.

MOM KNOWS EVERYTHING

So you're saying it's ridiculous to HAVE a rule just because sometimes people won't obey it? Hmmm. Interesting. I guess we should throw out all our laws, then?

eatmorec11h17no3

No, the Geneva Conventions apply in all wars. The rules are there to keep countries from going overboard in their attacks, and to protect civilian populations from the ravages of war as much as possible. If you don't like the idea that our soldiers can be protected from say, China torturing them in a future war, then you can move to China and help the Reds win..

zacharybeaver

That is not really true. Even in WWII, prisoners weren't just killed, just kept in camps.

JAN

Those with morals and ethical behavior do follow the rules. Those who don't set a bad example for all.

Thor Girl

the terrorists agree with you........ nobody else.

yawhosucs

Well you wouldn't be saying this if you were captured by the enemy now would you? it would be your only hope of not getting executed.

Angela Vicario

:)I didn't know war has rules what is more there is saying that says " In love as in war everything is valid"

justdavesplace

Yes and no.
We need rules. We need the Geneva convention. I dont want to be part of a military that is going to the extremes to torture others-just for the fun of it.
But, when you are under fire during a war then yes, the last thing you are gonna want to consider is if you are violating someone elses rights.
At times it feels like America is the only country that stands by the Geneva convention. And in the rare cases that America violates it we are looked at as being animals. It makes no sense.
Fight one, you will understand.

striderknight2000

just a comment on nicolasraage's

you can shoot at military when they are parashooting, when it is not allowed/not supposed to happen is when a pilot or a aircrafts crew ejects out and is there for no longer considered a military threat.

Now a C-130 or the likes off and drops 200 air borne over a battlefield or enemy territory they are considered fair game.

nicolasraage

Many may go out the window, like not shooting at someone in a parachutte. However, there is still dignity in this world. And when nations with dignity put uniforms on their soldiers, they are agreeing on a set of rules that may prevent unnecessary death and injury.

Bob G

Proper treatment of a prisoner iS a sign of civilization...But so is not having wars. Perhaps we need those rules to remind us to behave like civilized people in the midst of a most uncivilized action.

In a war, as with any fight, two rules are applied.

1. Never start a war.
2. If somebody else starts a war with you, do anything and everything to end it as quickly as possible. If that means picking up a big stick or leveling entire cities then that's the way it is.

Mike M

Most of those rules are about the decisions made by the generals and the governments involved. They do not, by and large, touch on what the troops in the field are doing.

For example, the Geneva Convention dictates that a nation won't initiate the use of chemical or biological weapons in war. This was part of the convention because of the horror of Mustard Gas when used in WWI.

A fact that most people don;t know is that if the enemy used chemical or biological weapons against you, then the Geneva Convention allows you to retaliate with similar weapons. This is why the US for example, still has an active chemical and biological weapons program.

There are also rules about how prisoners of war are treated. This too, is based largely on the revulsion people felt to the treatment of soldiers during WWI. Torture for example is banned. You can't get reliable information through torture, as the torture victim just says what they think the torturer wants to hear as opposed to telling the truth.

I recommend reading the text of the various Geneva Conventions and deciding for yourself what to make of them.

The Maestro

The Rules of War are very ridiculous. Especially when the United States are the only ones forced to obey them.

slender1

My sentiments exactly...However, rules are for convenience. I feel this is the governments way of making themselves seem "humane".

Its easier to make the rules when your azz isnt on the line.

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