So we have rules in war?

[mr-rubix]

http://www.dailymail....O=1708&referrer=yahoo

Why do we have these rules in war? Surely The aim in war is an attempt at altering either the psychological hierarchy or the material hierarchy of domination or equality between two or more groups? So why is this not achieved with the "By any means necessary method" and seems to be governed by rules and regulations in Geneva? Why?

[123everton]

Because any soldier or civilian could find themselves as a prisoner of war.
In such a circumstance it is helpful to know that their excesses may tempered by the fact that an investigation may be launched after the war.
It is a trick of smoke and mirrors though, if the offender is rich and powerful enough then the global comunity will just shrug it's shoulders and say never mind.

[R1Geezer]

There really are no rules. The Geneva convention is just a sop to Liberal thinking. Have you noticed that all the war crimes are committed by the losing side or the bad guys?

[mr-rubix]

Thanks 123everton and R1, yes I have noticed that R1.

[anotheoldgit]

/// There really are no rules.///

Try telling that to anyone who has been to Iraq or Afghanistan, Geezer.

That is why the Taliban are having some success.

[R1Geezer]

yes but they are self imposed rules to keep the yoghurt knitters happy AOG.

[sandyRoe]

Nixon and Kissinger were clearly guilty of a war crime when they bombed Cambodia. Bush and Blair would have had a case to answer for their invasion of Iraq. But in reality the only people who commit war crimes are the losers.

[Zeuhl]

///Try telling that to anyone who has been to Iraq or Afghanistan, Geezer.

That is why the Taliban are having some success. ///

aog clearly has a very low opinion of our service men and women

seems to think that they would blame 'Taliban success' on rules imposed on them to prevent them from indiscriminate killing of civilians, abusing prisoners, carpet bombing areas with both insurgents and friendlies etc

All tactics used to such good effect in the past by the americans in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam - oh i remember now, the yanks lost there too!

Fortunately our frontline troops have higher standards than that.
.