“The Rules of War” is always one of the main hot topics during times of war. But from what I’ve seen over the years, this talk mostly comes from people who have never been to war, are not going to war, and have absolutely no idea what war is like for those unlucky enough to find themselves on the battlefields.
Let’s take a good look at rules for warfare. These rules are made up by governments and international institutions to put limits on the types of weapons used, the treatment of enemy prisoners, and the treatment of civilians by occupying military forces. These rules, like most battle plans, only last until the shooting starts.
It may sound good to say that prisoners of war must be treated with respect, and in a humane manner. But that’s a very unrealistic rule. Think about this: you are on the battlefield risking your life and limbs. Many of your friends and comrades have been killed or maimed in battle by the opposing force. Now the battle is over and some of the enemy soldiers are your prisoners. You look at them and can’t help thinking about the friends you have lost. Do you really believe you’ll care whether or not those enemy soldiers receive humane treatment? Not normally.
Furthermore, if you could obtain information through the use of torture that may save the lives of yourself and your comrades, would you care that there’s a rule against torture? I wouldn’t. And if the use of torture could prevent an attack on your homeland that would cause the deaths of innocent men, women, and children, would you be willing to use torture? I would.
By now some of you are thinking that I’m some kind of monster, maybe a sadist that would hide behind the excuse of defending my country and my soldiers in order to inflict pain and death on others. That I’m one of those right winged conservatives that would sanction any kind of inhumane treatment of people we dub “The Enemy.”
But you would be wrong. I’m just a man who has seen war up close and personal. I hate war. War is wasteful of the life God has given the human race, and it’s wasteful of the resources needed to feed and care for an over-populated world.
Oops, now some of you have reversed course and think I’m one of those bleeding-heart, tree-hugging liberals. I’m not that either. I’m simply a realist. Sometimes war becomes necessary no matter how much we hate it.
But some wars are unnecessary. They’re fought over economic or strategic resources, or to enable some politician or dictator to boost his or her ego. But when a war becomes necessary, or troops have been committed to the battlefield (no matter how wrongly or rightly), it’s time to do everything possible to protect those brave souls risking their lives for their country. And when those troops return home from the field of battle, they should receive the very best care and treatment possible, regardless of how much that care and treatment costs.
But no matter how many governments and international organizations create and agree to certain rules for warfare, there are only two rules that will stand the test of time.
Rule number one: In war, some people die, others become crippled for life, and the survivors will all have to live with the memories of what they saw and did for the rest of their lives.
Rule number two: You can’t change rule number one.
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