Replying to a message of Tony Ingenoso to Bill Lucy:

 TI> From: "Tony Ingenoso" 

 TI> How do you distinguish a civilian?

They're noncombatants.  Interestingly, in a recent article on the navy's
hospital ship deployed in the Persian Gulf a machine gun post was noted. 
Those ships are *supposed* to be unarmed.

 TI>  Are Al Quida "civilian"?

They're nonmilitary, at least in the sense that military implies some
governmental control.

 TI>  The nominal rules of war were drawn up long before
 TI> any notions of organized terrorism came along.  In this
 TI> regard I would argue they're not only obsolete, but even
 TI> aid the spreaders of chaos.

That I can agree with.  Perhaps the 'Rules of War' and the Geneva
Convention pacts should be revisited and updated.  Both are right around a
century old, now.

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