The Rules Of War

"The enemy is willing to sacrifice lives. They are willing to martyr themselves for what they believe is an important cause. ... The rules of war don't apply for them," according to Lt. Colonel Michael Ramos.

So, being willing to martyr oneself in fighting an occupying army isn't playing fair. But destroying a city in order to "save" it is playing fair -- even when, in the words of the assault's planners, "there will be some loss of innocent lives".

While Staff Sgt. Dennis Nash has "been waiting for this fight ever since I joined the Marines," Ramos bemoans an ambulance that may have been a car bomb. Question: is either one willing to arm himself only to the extent that the "terrorists" they're planning to "whack" are armed? Would that be playing by the "rules of war"?

Posted by Eddie Tews at November 1, 2004 12:55 PM