Why should we follow the Geneva Convention?

Question

Why should we follow the Geneva Convention, for example, on the issue of torturing information out of a terrorist, if the terrorist broke the Geneva Convention first, and they are therefore no longer held by the rulings of it? Also, the last time I checked, Al Queda isn't a country. The dissociate themselves from state borders, and they are not their own nation.

As a similar question, why should we treat an individual like an American citizen governed by the Constitution if they have shown no sign of upholding what the Constitution stands for?

I am trying to be unbiased, and I would like people to support whichever side they are on with further explanation and logic. I can understand this issue from both sides, but I want to know what other people think and why.

Answer 1

That's exactly the point. Long ago we fought nations who at the end of armed conflicts wished to be brought into the community of nations.

Today we're fighting terrorists, thugs and gangers who are in essence non-state actors and who are unlike in the past not fighting for oil, land and grain but for race and God. International law made up by the "infidels" or the "untermenshen" means nothing to these folks. They wouldn't abide by it when they capture troops and can't be held accountable for it. Look at all the beheaddings committed by Al Quaeda in Iraq ... Those monsters capture allied troops, kill them and then dececrate the bodies.

As one German Kommandant in a fictional stalag in France once said to a captured US officer who dared talk to him about the Geneva Convention said ... " Look around you Colonel, this is hardly Geneva!"

Answer 2

Yeah, and the jews weren't a country, the gypsies weren't a country, the handicapped weren't a country and look at what happened to them. Torture. Death in horrible ways...

The Geneva Convention was written by the international community to make sure the horrors of the holocaust never happened again. It's not just about a country, it's about individual human beings. The problem with the current situation is that many of the people detained in Guantanamo Bay have been proven to NOT have terrorist ties and there have been so called confessions brought about that have been proven false. There is a danger in imprisoning people simply because of their nationlity. It wasn't only the Germans who did it, just ask any Japanese-American who livd during the 40's. All people of Japanese descent were uprooted fro thier homes and placed in "internment camps" for *misguided* fear they might somehow help Japan. When we treat other people as less than human, we change. We become less and less evolved, civilized and we create more hatred than there would have been before.

I find it terribly interesting that the same people who claim we were all created in god's image are the first to jump in line to condemn and kill people who are different.

Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means saying Al-Qaeda is right or justified, BUT just because they do something doesn't mean WE have to sink to their level. The best way to get your point across is not screaming at the top of your lungs the insult you were just called.

Answer 3

So since most Muslims don't recognize Israel as a country then do they not have to treat Israeli soldiers under the Geneva conventions? People who commit crimes ( murder, child molestation ) are not upholding what the constitution stands for yet they are still protected by it ( except for criminal actions ) after they are found guilty.

What the problem is most people understand that the Geneva Convention sets the rules for handling HUMAN BEINGS during war time as a POW. Were at war with terrorism so suspected terrorists are POWs.......the problem is you don't see them as human beings you see them as less than that, you let your hate and anger cloud your judgment and that is why you can't see that you are wrong.

Answer 4

read the geneva convention.you do not need to be a country to abide by the geneva convention.we follow the geneva convention due to the fact that we are a civilized nation, and second, for the obvious reason that we would be frowned upon by the rest of the world.i dont believe we should following it during this time of war ,but think of all the hippies that would get there panties in a fluster if that were so.

Answer 5

The U.S. signed and agreed to follow the Geneva Convention. The Geneva Convention was generally meant for known enemy combatants during time of war. In this case, there may be an exception to the rule. I don't know......

Answer 6

Because the United States and many other countries signed the Geneva Convention. This holds us to uphold all human rights. Once we stray away from it then we are no better then those who is willing to kill innocent people.

Answer 7

We should follow the Geneva Conventions because they are based in common decency for all to be treated humanely. You can't be morally outraged if a terrorist bombs your backyard if you are torturing his family. I know it's not popular and revenge is sweet but an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind (as some wise man once said).

Answer 8

As a soldier in an earlier American unpopular war, it was in part due to our adherence to the Geneva Conventions that we were able to claim the moral high ground and thus maintain a higher level of morale, important to every soldier in every war.

Answer 9

There are at least two reasons. One, this country was founded on freedom and fairness under the law. As humans it is vitally important no matter what religion we subcribe to, to treat others as we would want to be treated. We become less human, less American by treating these people like they were less than human. How would we be any better than them. Also are you 100% trusting of the government to capture ONLY terrorist. Suppose you were abducted and were innocent, wouldn't you want someone to listen to you. Wouldn't you want to know the facts on why you were detained?

I was in the military. I would want to be treated fairly and humanely if I were captured.

Answer 10

if you break international law you put yourself on a par with terrorists and nazis. in addition, you turn decent people who are for you into your enemies. rules of decency exist so that decent people may follow them. torture never works (people say anything you want) and it is counterproductive (groups turn against you) as well as being illegal and immoral.

international law and the US constitution are safeguards on executive action. if you allow the govt to step over the line once, pretty soon the line disappears.