In the midst of a battle field im sure many innocent bystanders can be killed. Yet no punishment is made. Think WW2, the united states dropped a atom bomb on japan, killed many innocent lives. Now, is it okay to kill innocent people in war? Does humanity not play into politics? Simply put, is everything legal in war? Against the enemy of course.
2006-07-20 21:29:56 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
"All is fair in love and war."
2006-07-20 21:33:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
There aren't any laws that apply internationally, only things like the Geneva Convention that is ratified by each country. No country can enforce compliance by another country, it's voluntary.
The Geneva Conventions are actually very detailed in what is and isn't acceptable. For example, using a large caliber machine-gun (that is normally used to destroy tanks) against personnel is illegal because it isn't appropriate use of force.
As for the killing of innocents in Japan I think of it this way. The people killed doesn't equal the amount that would have died in an invasion of Japan. The estimate was in the millions.
And for the killing of civilians in Iraq, I woulnd't believe half of what they say on TV. I spent a year there and was amazed at what our media did and didn't report.
2006-07-21 05:01:41 · answer #2 · answered by justind_000 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You must ask yourself if the civilian death was a case of legitimate (for lack of a better term) collateral damage, or was an effort made to take that life.
In the case of the atomic bomb, the Japanese were given daily warnings for nearly two weeks of what was coming, so their deaths were upon their own heads. In the case of the little girl that was raped and killed in Iraq, that was simply murder, and those involved should be punished to the fullest extent of US military law and the Geneva Convention.
2006-07-21 16:54:14 · answer #3 · answered by The_moondog 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No not illegal. Some USA soldiers have been charged with willfull murder of Iraqi civilians and the Atomic attacks on Japan are debated to be legal or not. but in a large scale war like WW2 its hard to not get some collateral damage in the civilian population
2006-07-21 04:35:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dude get a dictionary and look up the word WAR. Now for the question why does the US always have to be the bad guys? Do you remember what the Japaniese did to Nanking China? While you are online lookup The Rape Of Nanking. There is a force in the universe called Karma, and they just got what was coming to them.
2006-07-21 04:46:24 · answer #5 · answered by cashcobra_99 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because those were the rules that the heads of our countries made because they couldn't give up greed and the blind desire to conquer each other... They made the law so that they could war on each other without fear of retribution during peace time. You were probably looking for a long answer but it's really simple and sad. Killing will never stop untill humanity changes. And don't even think that it will ever happen. Wars have benn fought for thousands of years, you know history... Sadly, it's human nature... :(
2006-07-21 04:38:07 · answer #6 · answered by Firefly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In war the value of lives go down. War is not ususally about people, even if it is there is most likely an underlying motive, so the priority of a human life gets pushed way down the list. You gotta love how this world functions.
2006-07-21 04:42:54 · answer #7 · answered by okay 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technically speaking, it is illegal to kill innocant civilians. The Geneva Conventions clearly stipulate the rulles of war. It is upon the states parties to these conventions to apply theses standards. Because certain group of countries is only accountable to themselves and nobody else (no higher authority), the rulles are applied sporadically and only when it serves the purpose of the states in question.
2006-07-21 04:37:37 · answer #8 · answered by urosandrej 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No its called war conduct . In the past wars end at night and the 2 fighting people go to sleep to gather till the morning. War laws my dear
2006-07-21 04:40:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Articles of War governs what killing is legal and what is not.
It's like a Rules of Engagement. Even in war, men are supposed to behave like men, not monsters.
2006-07-21 04:38:48 · answer #10 · answered by >(",)< 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree. what bothers me is when we use bombs and kill 1000s of innocent ppl then we turn around and call the enemy cowards for fighting like a militia
2006-07-21 04:39:54 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋