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The Status of the Law
Human Rights Watch–a rare example of an international NGO that I truly do respect (which isn’t the same as agreeing with them on every point)–has a very good overview of the international law as it applies to the Israel/Lebanon conflict.
7 Responses to “The Status of the Law”
Are there any you do not respect?
Interesting. HRW is typically fairly anti-Israel (and anti-West, although not hugely so). Generally we only hear about them when protesting a righteous killing, or a legitimate military action. I’m impressed that they took a full reading of the law involved.
I’m even more impressed that they understood that : “The real, unstated reason for Israel’s attack on the airport may be precisely to impose a cost on Lebanese civilians to encourage them to press their government to rein in Hezbollah.” They may not agree with it, and it is a war crime if it’s the sole purpose of such an act, but it’s nice to see someone else figure out what the evil, soulless, rightwing animals like myself have been saying for a while.
Don’t quite agree with a few things, like the constant protection of ‘civilians’ across the board – after all, most of Hezbollah are not a member of a military or police, including many people who would be considered ‘combatants’. And I do wish they’d note Israel’s leaflet campaign is significantly better than Hezbollah’s rather lacking civilian warning system, or confirm or deny allegations that Hezbollah members are actively preventing true civilians from escaping sites despite leaflets.
But it’s nice to see them take of the blinders a bit, even if they still focused overwhelmingly on one side of the debate and not the other in a couple places.
Any law is only as good as it’s enforcement. Who enforces international law? How often does the security council of the UN agree unanimously on anything? With no enforcement international law is toothless and useless. (example- genocide in the Sudan) Also, would you give up sovereignty to such a corrupt (example – Oil for food) body as the UN. Forget international law. In the real world Nations will act to satisfy their own interests when they can and might may not make right but it rules.
Thx for the very informative link, David. It’s refreshing to read something that is a reasonable approach on the facts and the rules that apply. The report of Human Watch clearly states that both sides haven’t paid much attention to the Geneva protocols. It’s shameful that, even in the 21st century, mankind obviously isn’t able to regard even the most basic rules of humanity in armed conflicts.
most basic rules of humanity in armed conflicts.
DUH?….is the only possible comment I could come up with Gray62, unless they start using water pistols, water balloons, and Nurf balls to shoot at each other.
From personal experience I learned in about two seconds, there is nothing BASIC to, ALL RULES forgotten almost immediately, and absolutely nothing HUMAN about active participation in ARMED CONFLICTS.
I understand your thoughts here Gray62, and even wish that would occur.
If anything man with his vindictive viciousness endeavours to invent machines of war that are worse and worse, with emphasis on cost versus efficient kill ratio and total disregard for innocents in the process.
I suppose the ideal RULE to make would be cessation of war at any level…but the only places I see that is in sciene fiction novels. At any rate how could that ideal RULE be enforced if someone violated it?
Man himself spoils the dream for Utopia.
Sad isn’t it.
Even in the christian Bible it says words, if not an exact quote, to the effect, “That there will be wars and rumors of wars as long as the Earth shall stand.”
Thusfar, that is one of the few prophetic absolutions come to pass I can think of.
wars and rumors of war as long as the Earth shall stand
and remember…its only gonna be about another two or three billion short years before our sun goes Super Nova and the Earth becomes an ash so we need to hurry up and make war as fast as inhumanly possible….LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
We as a species are truely pathetic when it comes to getting along with one another…….
“Man himself spoils the dream for Utopia.”
Sure. But does this say we should stop fighting for it?
“To dream the impossible dream,
to fight the unbeatable foe…”