Laws of War Quotes
This is true. There never has been any International law that made a belligerent responsible for civilian damages and deaths that were the result of collateral damage. However, the United States over the years, more so than any other country. Provided huge amount of aid to the citizens of the enemy nations although there was no legal obligation to do so.
In the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars the U. S. government was much criticized for not treating captured Taliban and others as prisoners war. This Article is their main justification. The Taliban and Al Quida did not meet most of the criteria and therefore the convention did not apply to them.
In the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, private contractors wlere hired to provide many services in the war zone including intelligence, security and guard service. In carrying out their responsibilities, some private contractor employees killed and/or tortured suspects or innocent bystandarders against the laws of the United States. If American soldiers had committed these crimes, they would be court marshalled. However, the Code of Military Regulations and other laws applied only to armed forces personnel.
When the Union army began using Blacks as recruits, the South threatened to execute any Negro soldier they captured. Some Southerners opposed execution but favored enslavement of captured Northern Black soldiers. The Lincoln threat seems to have worked, although Lincoln opposed executing Southern officers in retaliation for the atrocities at southern prisoner of war camps
