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Why We Need The Laws Of War
17 Nov 2007 12:32 pm
Norm Geras makes what is increasingly a minority case among Americans:
The intentional targeting of civilians is a war crime, and not just the use of nuclear weapons against them. That is why terrorism is a criminal act. So is the carpet-bombing of population centres. I also agree that one shouldn't treat international law as if it were a system without blemishes, imperfections, problems - to be remedied and improved upon….
On the other hand, to dismiss the concept of crime from the conduct of war would amount, in effect, to allowing that war may be lawless - fought without moral restraints of any kind, only strategic ones. …Whatever the deficits of international law may be at present, the world would be a different, and a worse, place if there were no laws of war and no concept of war crimes.
Norm is responding to this.
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