War Crimes

An effective military must be a little paranoid and clearly focused on goals. The ending of Dr Strangelove with the winners (top brass, friends and family, lots of girlfriends) living in a deep coal mine while the rest of the world is sterilized is pretty close to true. 

In real life there is the aggravating issue of definitions. What is a crime, who are the guilty (the individual, the tribe, the government, the whole society, the situation)? What is the government (legitimate, historic faction, fractional, de jure, de facto)? How are “crimes” committed? Who is not involved in the “war”? 

It’s all silly. The idea that populations are not legitimate targets of war became irrelevant during the American and French revolutions. The idea that there are limits to what must be done for victory was obliterated during world war I. Today, anything goes, and once again – “might makes right.” 

And yet, and yet. There has been in fact, a global civilization established, with instantaneous news and porous borders on land and ideals. If “war crimes” are to have any meaning, we must accept that the de facto legitimate government accepts those common limits or pays the price by being delegitimized by everyone else. Those “limits” always end up being pretty much close to the “golden rule.” 

The military mind? Ah that’s a different story. 

I’m not sure, in these days lacking absolute judgments of any kind, that this problem will ever be resolved.