The Geneva Conventions define non-combatants as "protected persons." When you knowingly murder 300+ people in order to assassinate one enemy combatant, that's a war-crime under the Conventions. If you send in a combat team and "take out" that person in the context of a declared war, that is within the laws of war. I'm sure that you know that the Geneva Conventions were created by the USA and its allies after the horrific atrocities of WWII. A great problem has now arisen in that the USA has cast aside the Geneva Conventions. We don't honor or recognize them any longer nor do we honor international law of any sort. They are deemed inconvenient to our goals. Our leaders do what they want regardless of international OR US Constitutional law. This make the US a rogue nation, doesn't it?
That's not petty at all, in my view. And thanks for your remark. The Democrats are CERTAINLY and demonstrably pro-war at this juncture; almost insanely so. So-called "liberals" have become unhinged warmongers. But Republicans are scarcely less bellicose. Look at the slaughter of Palestinians ... or the recent bombing of Yemen. Or any of the interventionist slaughters of decades past. War is the ONE thing that reliably unites American politicians -- and in great part, Americans -- of all stripes.
For Americans, politics is a team sport: "My team rocks and your team SUCKS." Go 'Murka !! It's really not a great deal more complex than that. "Panem et circenses"
Please tell us more about the war crimes. Since you are clearly a scholar and have the information that most of us woefully undereducated Americans need, would you please elaborate if you have the time. Thanks you!
You are kind and I thank you for your comment as always. See my answer to the user "Something's happening here" in the comment thread. Meanwhile, I'll try to retrieve it and repost it here in reply to your inquiry.
Here you go: The Geneva Conventions define non-combatants as "protected persons." When you knowingly murder 300+ people in order to assassinate one enemy combatant, that's a war-crime under the Conventions. If you send in a combat team and "take out" that person in the context of a declared war, that is within the laws of war. I'm sure that you know that the Geneva Conventions were created by the USA and its allies after the horrific atrocities of WWII. A great problem has now arisen in that the USA has cast aside the Geneva Conventions. We don't honor or recognize them any longer nor do we honor international law of any sort. But that doesn't mean they aren't war crimes. It just means that we ignore them and say "because we do it, it's not a crime." The Geneva Conventions are deemed inconvenient to our goals. Our leaders do what they want regardless of international OR US Constitutional law. This make the US a rogue nation, doesn't it?
Agreed. Could you elaborate on the war crimes part?
The Geneva Conventions define non-combatants as "protected persons." When you knowingly murder 300+ people in order to assassinate one enemy combatant, that's a war-crime under the Conventions. If you send in a combat team and "take out" that person in the context of a declared war, that is within the laws of war. I'm sure that you know that the Geneva Conventions were created by the USA and its allies after the horrific atrocities of WWII. A great problem has now arisen in that the USA has cast aside the Geneva Conventions. We don't honor or recognize them any longer nor do we honor international law of any sort. They are deemed inconvenient to our goals. Our leaders do what they want regardless of international OR US Constitutional law. This make the US a rogue nation, doesn't it?
I THANK you for your question.
Sorry to be petty, but it's because democrats don't care about war crimes. Just manners.
That's not petty at all, in my view. And thanks for your remark. The Democrats are CERTAINLY and demonstrably pro-war at this juncture; almost insanely so. So-called "liberals" have become unhinged warmongers. But Republicans are scarcely less bellicose. Look at the slaughter of Palestinians ... or the recent bombing of Yemen. Or any of the interventionist slaughters of decades past. War is the ONE thing that reliably unites American politicians -- and in great part, Americans -- of all stripes.
For Americans, politics is a team sport: "My team rocks and your team SUCKS." Go 'Murka !! It's really not a great deal more complex than that. "Panem et circenses"
Please tell us more about the war crimes. Since you are clearly a scholar and have the information that most of us woefully undereducated Americans need, would you please elaborate if you have the time. Thanks you!
You are kind and I thank you for your comment as always. See my answer to the user "Something's happening here" in the comment thread. Meanwhile, I'll try to retrieve it and repost it here in reply to your inquiry.
Here you go: The Geneva Conventions define non-combatants as "protected persons." When you knowingly murder 300+ people in order to assassinate one enemy combatant, that's a war-crime under the Conventions. If you send in a combat team and "take out" that person in the context of a declared war, that is within the laws of war. I'm sure that you know that the Geneva Conventions were created by the USA and its allies after the horrific atrocities of WWII. A great problem has now arisen in that the USA has cast aside the Geneva Conventions. We don't honor or recognize them any longer nor do we honor international law of any sort. But that doesn't mean they aren't war crimes. It just means that we ignore them and say "because we do it, it's not a crime." The Geneva Conventions are deemed inconvenient to our goals. Our leaders do what they want regardless of international OR US Constitutional law. This make the US a rogue nation, doesn't it?
I THANK you for your question.
I agree with you and its incredibly distressing...