4 ms·

It is uncontroversially a war crime. Chemical warfare is explicity banned by the Geneva convention, to which the US is of course a signatory. However, great po

It is uncontroversially a war crime. Chemical warfare is explicity banned by the Geneva convention, to which the US is of course a signatory. However, great powers are exempt from being challenged by international law, because they simply don't permit it.

happyscrappy 12y ago
At least the Germans didn't pretend they were getting rid of foliage when they gassed the Jews.
- mschuster91 12y ago
  It wasn't foliage, but hair lice and other pests... the jews were shaven their heads and told to shower. Only when the doors locked, they realized what was going on.
  - happyscrappy 12y ago
    I know even senior officials claim they did not know the official policy in Germany was to exterminate the Jews but is there any reliable data on how many Germans knew the objective?
    - mschuster91 12y ago
      I don't believe there is, as it's not exactly easy to prove someone knew a specific fact. But it can be assumed everyone working at (or living near) the KZ and Vernichtungslager knew about their purpose, as well as the Reichsbahn employees involved in the transports.
  - nothrabannosir 12y ago
    Why did they shave their heads?
    - a3n 12y ago
      They made socks and other articles from the hair. https://duckduckgo.com/?t=lm&q=nazi+jews+hair+socks https://duckduckgo.com/?t=lm&q=nazi+jews+hair+socks
    - mschuster91 12y ago
      Most definitely for lice protection (and to maintain the illusion), and according to Wikipedia ( http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanada_(KZ_Auschwitz) http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanada_(KZ_Auschwitz) ) the hairs were used for commercial purposes.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
gadders 12y ago
>>However, great powers are exempt from being challenged by international law, because they simply don't permit it. Or to put it another way, you can't have laws without a method of enforcement, and there is no way to enforce international law.
- kenrikm 12y ago
  Except.. War. So there you go. Catch 22.
  - mercurial 12y ago
    Nobody ever went to war to enforce international law. At best, they can provide a palatable PR excuse to further strategic interests.
  - gadders 12y ago
    I would be surprised to see the UN or whoever go to war against the USA to enforce a point of law.

happyscrappy 12y ago

At least the Germans didn't pretend they were getting rid of foliage when they gassed the Jews.

mschuster91 12y ago
It wasn't foliage, but hair lice and other pests... the jews were shaven their heads and told to shower. Only when the doors locked, they realized what was going on.
- happyscrappy 12y ago
  I know even senior officials claim they did not know the official policy in Germany was to exterminate the Jews but is there any reliable data on how many Germans knew the objective?
  - mschuster91 12y ago
    I don't believe there is, as it's not exactly easy to prove someone knew a specific fact. But it can be assumed everyone working at (or living near) the KZ and Vernichtungslager knew about their purpose, as well as the Reichsbahn employees involved in the transports.
- nothrabannosir 12y ago
  Why did they shave their heads?
  - a3n 12y ago
    They made socks and other articles from the hair. https://duckduckgo.com/?t=lm&q=nazi+jews+hair+socks https://duckduckgo.com/?t=lm&q=nazi+jews+hair+socks
  - mschuster91 12y ago
    Most definitely for lice protection (and to maintain the illusion), and according to Wikipedia ( http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanada_(KZ_Auschwitz) http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanada_(KZ_Auschwitz) ) the hairs were used for commercial purposes.
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

gadders 12y ago

>>However, great powers are exempt from being challenged by international law, because they simply don't permit it. Or to put it another way, you can't have laws without a method of enforcement, and there is no way to enforce international law.

kenrikm 12y ago
Except.. War. So there you go. Catch 22.
- mercurial 12y ago
  Nobody ever went to war to enforce international law. At best, they can provide a palatable PR excuse to further strategic interests.
- gadders 12y ago
  I would be surprised to see the UN or whoever go to war against the USA to enforce a point of law.