Aren't Rules of War ridiculous?

Question

I mean stuff like the Geneva Convention and all these "rules" that countries are supposed to agree upon during a war. When you're getting shot at and your life is on the line, don't these rules go out the window? War has been known to unleash the most psychotic aspects from people. They're not going to follow rules!

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

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.

Answer 4

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.

Answer 5

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..

Answer 6

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

Answer 7

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.

Answer 8

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.

Answer 9

far as rules and war, it basically comes down to who won at the end. Think about it. If Germany and Japan won the WWII. Think about the outcome of it all. Would we have known about the Jewiesh holocaust and other criminial things Japan has committed againest civilian and war prisoner? All depends who won at the end.

Answer 10

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.