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I'm really not trying to troll here, but what then of military attacks on civilian targets?

• rimantas 12y ago
  war crime?
• bd_at_rivenhill 12y ago
  "Civilian" targets can become valid military targets. For example, if an enemy force forms a line of resistance within an urban or suburban area, then it is legitimate to attack and destroy that area. A civilian area that is not occupied by an enemy force is not a legitimate target, and attacking it constitutes a war crime.
  • pjmlp 12y ago
    I always found that type of argumentation interesting, war is a crime.
    • cmdkeen 12y ago
      The Law of Armed Conflict exists because you can't stop war from happening, especially if you aren't willing to fight a war yourself to stop it. It's also worth pointing out that war/conflict are not the same thing, the definition of who is protected during a conflict is much broader than members of the armed forces during a formal war.
    • Rusky 12y ago
      Sure, but "war crime" is a phrase with a particular history and usage that means something more specific. Even opposing sides in war often agree on some boundaries.