The morality of war

[ZenGum]

Thinking more about this, the Geneva convention and all that was fine for the regular symmetrical wars of the pre-1955 sort.

We're here in these uniforms, they're over there in those uniforms, over yonder are civilians in no uniforms at all.

So the rules are - as far as possible - to help guys in matching uniforms, kill or capture or drive off those in rival uniforms (within certain rules like no torturing prisoners) and avoid hurting the civvies .

I think the general ideas behind this are still valid, but applying them in asymmetrical warfare is increasingly difficult, especially with a clever and ruthless enemy that will exploit any limits we impose on our selves.

As Dana said, no easy answer.