Only nutball dead-enders still deny that U.S. government employees tortured prisoners, in Iraq, Afghanistan and Gitmo. Or they claim that torture isn't wrong, anyway.
The current news and discussion about the Bush Administration's violation of international law, U.S. law and human decency reminds me of the history of war itself.
The rules of war — rules of engagement, the Geneva Convention and so on — exist because warriors want war. Near the end of the Middle Ages, wars expanded from distant lands into Europe's towns and cities, farmland and ports, preventing the merchant class from making money. Newly rich folks told the warlords — barons, dukes, knights — to go fight somewhere else, or stop fighting entirely.
No, no, no, the warriors said, we have to fight, for God, honor, love, loot ...
To that end, they made deals across Europe about who, when, where and how they would fight, continuing bloodshed while protecting non-combatants, property and prisoners of war. It's easier to recruit foot soldiers when they know there are rules.
As war became more complicated, so did the enabling rules.
Conclusion: Without the protection of rules, warriors would drop their weapons and get real jobs.
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