From: Monte Davis 

John Cuccia  wrote:

>The "laws and
>customs or war" are peacetime constructs which have no influence on
>wartime conduct.

I can't agree. The professionalization of European war *did* lead to less
misery for civilians in the 18th and 19th centuries. (The 20th told itself
it had invented total war, when in fact it had simply gone back to the 17th
and before.)

The bad rep of gas in WWI -- regardless of whether it was practical, or
more or less "inhumane" than bullets and shells -- *did*
constrain its use in WWII.

The bad rep of nuclear weapons *has* constrained their use against
non-nuclear powers for 60 years.

That constraints like these -- and on a smaller scale, the issues of POWs
at stake in this thread -- are fragile, incomplete, and liable to be
discarded in desperation, or by an evil regime, doesn't mean they're
without value. They get stronger, and gain wider adherence, with time.

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5