The Rules of War

An interesting article in the March edition of The Atlantic about prisoner of war camps during the Civil War. Here is a link.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/03/civil-war-pow-camps-american-prison-system/685762/ 

Without going into too much detail about the article, the main point was that so many Americans died in prisons run by other Americans, some estimate up to 10% of the overall deaths, that rules were developed towards the end of this horrible conflict which were refined and then codified, not only into the laws of America, but through international agreements like the Geneva Conventions.

Of course, many consider "rules of war" to be an oxymoron, as many war campaigns focus as much on breaking the spirit of the citizens of the country being attacked as the capability of the enemy's military. As for housing, clothing, feeding, not torturing, providing medical care to those unfortunates taken prisoner, there is no lack of evidence to condemn any warring country, America included.

Additionally, it is not uncommon to hear people in the military complain that they were "held back" from attaining victory by civilians who were too focused on trying not to kill innocents, or by limiting the use of torture to gain intel, or by not using the most deadliest of weapons (nuclear) to gain the advantage and crush the enemy. 

One might even say that a majority of Americans are OK with collateral damage if it means killing the truly bad guys, especially once they have been told who those bad guys are, over and over and over again. 

Krauts, Japs, Russkies, Commies, Towel Heads, etc, it has been far too easy for the general population of all countries, not just America, to be convinced that the "enemy" of the day threatens our way of life, or our culture, and so must be contained, defeated, destroyed. Or perhaps bombed back to the stone age, which I find rather ironic considering that humanity itself emanated from the very areas of the world that we would now wipe out to protect "civilization".

Perhaps then we should eschew the illusion that there should be rules of war, and, like our current Department of Defense head we should "show no mercy" towards Iran, or whomever the enemy is determined to be. Of course, we are outraged that Iran is attacking our military installations in neighboring countries, or the tankers as they navigate the Straight of Hormuz, or the energy infrastructure of those same neighbors, but, hey, they are barbarians who deserve whatever the death toll might rise to, military or civilians alike, while we are just doing the work of the god that Hegseth and his ilk pray to for help in vanquishing their enemies.

Is Iran an enemy of America? I doubt you will find many Americans who would not say yes, undoubtedly, so from that standpoint, reducing Iran's ability to harm Americans, the war is popular. While I don't believe that Iran was weeks away from lobbing a nuclear weapon our way, I certainly admit that they have been a threat, although much more so to Israel than America. 

But if that is our criteria, North Korea has nuclear weapons which many believe could reach North America, yet they are not in Trump's crosshairs. Cuba, yes, North Korea, no.

And let's not forget that as of this very moment, there are nuclear missiles pointing at every major European and American city with made-in Russia labels. Yet Putin seems to be one of Trump's best friends, although I believe Putin only sees Trump as a useful idiot, at best.

The rules of war are certainly nebulous, not applied equally in all circumstances, although it certainly seems that under this administration, excursions, law enforcement operations, regime change, the blockade of goods, or whatever name is applied from one day to the next to describe our forays into Venezuela, Iran, Cuba, it seems that we only apply them to countries we can easily defeat. 

Not to mention our previous failed interventions in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq.

Some might say we have acted the bully consistently since WW2, although covertly as much as militarily. I counter that America was instrumental in saving the world, then extended a hand to the Axis countries, Germany and Japan, rather than kicking them when they were down. We told them we would protect them through treaties and organizations like NATO, and while we certainly meddled in the affairs of many nations, especially those with oil, we did more good than bad. 

I don't feel that way now. Instead we actively support the bully who runs Israel and tacitly support the one who runs Russia. And just elected our own bully who now believes that the Western Hemisphere is ours to take, that might makes right, and that our allies of 80 years are on their own.  

America has on the books various rules of war that we are now violating everyday, from bombing speed boats in the Caribbean to attacking another country without provocation to actively denying the people of Cuba the food and energy supply they need to live. America, under Donald J Trump, is committing international war crimes, all approved by the now fired Attorney General Pam Bondi and encouraged by the head of the Department of Defense that is executing this war as if he is playing a video game in his basement, as if those who die, enemies as well as Americans, are not real people, the rules of war be damned.