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Rules Of War

Are there actual rules of war that need to be followed or is war something that has no restrictions?

Here is how German leaders looked at success in WWII:

-Wilhelm Keitel, chief of staff of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces of Germany, Dec. 16, 1942.

War Rules

Within a civilized society, there are rules of war that need to be followed. This is what the Geneva Conventions are all about.

The problem is that there are a lot of countries, groups, and partisanships out there that don't follow them, or have made up their own rules.

The example given of the National Socialists in Germany is an excellent one. If the Third Reich had won, then they would have been able to stand up to all the calls for investigation and prosecution for failure to follow the rules.

Within Africa, right now, we see more examples of failure to follow the rules of war. In the Sudan, the "official" (Muslim) government has been waging war on the Christian and animist minorities for many years. The method of warfare has been some of the ugliest, most distressing seen in the world in the last two centuries. They have swept into Christian villages, killed all the men, raped the women (sometimes literally to death) and enslaved the children into an absolutely horrendous form of slavery, much worse than the Americas ever saw.

Of course, within the Middle East, there are all sorts of claims that various entities are flouting the rules of war. However, what it really means is that the various entities are using different rules.

Rules Of War History & Civil Business Politics

This reminds me of a movie (the name of which I cannot remember), where a leader of a small group of US soldiers finds a German soldier that tried to kill them. The US soldiers are ready to kill him after he surrenders. The leader of the US Soldiers says by the rules of war when he surrenders we cannot hurt him anymore. So he takes his weapons and clothes and tells him to run (he could not keep him because they were on the move). So the German soldier leaves only to return with a whole lot of reinforcements that leads to the death or the US soldiers. One has to ponder if they should not have just shot him and be over with it. I am sure the US soldiers feel the same way in the current wars that they are participating, more especially when their enemy never surrenders but is instead captured. now all of this brings us back to the rules of war... a rule is only a rule in as much as it can be enforced in my opinion. Can the rule of war be enforced in war itself? If so then it is good and should be followed, but if it can't, then of what value is it really?

War Rules

Of course there are "rules of war". Of course not all countries or organizations follow the rules of war. Participating in the Geneva Convention and "rules of war" separates civilized cultures from uncivilized cultures. I would not in good conscience be a proud member of the US military if we did not follow these rules.

War Rules

Killing innocent civilians is not war, it is an atrocity. In war there are rules to prevent civilian casualties for the most part, but also I think for the mutual well treatment of captured enemy soldiers,I.e. I'll treat your captured soldiers well, if you do the same for ours" That kind of thinking is a part of civilized society to be sure, however I think that these rules were put in place for mutually beneficial reasons, not because of any morality.

Rules Of War

There are conditions to the rules of war in the Geneva Convention. To qualify you must be a uniformed combatant of a country. Insurgents, mercenaries, partisans, and terrorists are not protected by the Geneva Convention because they are not lawful combatants.
Unfortunately the last country the US fought who acknowledged that the rules of war existed and adhered to them most of the time was Nazi Germany. This is in regards to only the conflict between the Allies and Germany, the Russian front was the closest humanity has gotten to creating hell on Earth. History has lost count of the atrocities committed by both sides on that front.

That movie that you were thinking of, I think it was Saving Private Ryan. I seem to remember that there was a scene like that it the movie.

Rules War

There have been many treaties and conventions over the course of mans inhabitation of this planet with regards to the laws of war. The most commonly referred to are the Geneva Conventions and the Geneva Protocols. However, not every country signs into agreement.

As Nighthawk has pointed out though it is always better to be on the winning side when investigations come forth about infractions to the rules of war. Of course, the United States has been under investigation for infractions to the rules of war while still in the course of war. Most notably the Abu-Draib prison, and soldiers killing non-combatants.

A few common rules of war are:

1. Declaration of War.
2. War should be limited to achieving a specific goal and it should end quickly.
3. Protect both combatants and non-combatants from undue suffering.
4. Soldiers should wear a distinctive uniform.
5. Help to bring peace afterwards.

Laws of War are put into place to protect both sides. A war where both sides adhere to the rules of war will end faster, and will result in less death and destruction.

Rules War Politics Business Civil & History

Isn't the law as good as those who keep them? The ones that are usually in dispute are the treatment of civilians and prisoners of war. Without mentioning any, there are countries both in the 'civilized' and 'uncivilized' arena that would be easily judged for their violations of this.