SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: SARMAN who wrote (197379)8/14/2006 11:40:58 PM
From: Hawkmoon  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 281500
 
You are dogging the issue. America did not sign on. Do not justify a bad action with an equally bad excuse.

No.. IT IS YOU who are AVOIDING THE ISSUE.

If I enter into a contract with you related to nature of our business affairs (such as not embezzling your funds), we ARE BOTH OBLIGATED TO FOLLOW ITS TERMS.

But if you engage in business WITHOUT a contract, then NEITHER PARTY is subject to any constraints, except those that they WILLINGLY place upon themselves, or chose to ignore.

In this case, Al Qai'da, as an organization, has not pledged to abide by the Geneva Conventions, NOR IS ANYONE EXPECTING, OR PUSHING, THEM TO ABIDE BY THEM. People are merely ACCEPTING that Al Qai'da is a brutal organization and that its nature is to utterly ignore human rights, or the fair and respectful treatment of prisoners.

Yet, we continue to hold ourselves restrained by our own morality, treating their membership, leaders, and operatives, as if they were official combatants somehow deserving of the same treatment we accord to soldiers of signatory governments.

Thus, what inducement does this provide to Al Qai'da to treat prisoners properly? Absolutely none at all.

They KNOW we'll treat them far better than they treat our soldiers and civilians when they capture them. So why should they change their behavior and abide by the GC. You're giving them all the benefits, and not holding them accountable to any of the responsibilities of being a party to the GC.

Hawk



To: SARMAN who wrote (197379)8/15/2006 6:49:15 PM
From: Noel de Leon  Respond to of 281500
 
I wrote, incorrectly, that the US did not sign the 1977 protocols. The US did sign the protocols but they were never ratified by the Senate and therefore these protocols are not binding on the US.