[Sprite518]

I do not object to intelligence gathering. However, I do take issue with the execution unlawful combatants.
Who is to say who is what on a battlefield? Oh yeah I forgot the bad guys! LOL!

Our troops should avoid non combatants as much as possible, but they should not have the fear of shooting the killing the wrong person on the battlefield.

You see when you have these rules, then the bad guys take advantage of it. For instance, in Vietnam there were plenty of women and children armed little hidden bombs and guns to kill our troops. Heck we have seen it in Somalia more recently and Israel last week. There is no way for our troops to tell who is lawful, and who is not until its too late. I believe our troop safety is a combat zone is paramount to any bogus rules of war.

[Polybius]

I do not object to intelligence gathering. However, I do take issue with the execution unlawful combatants.

Are you sure you are reading things correctly?

Unlawful combatants: Defined by the Rules of War as those who wage war without uniforms, without carrying arms openly and/or who willfully target civilians.

Examples: The German commandoes who were captured in American uniforms during the Battle of the Bulge and executed. Iraqi jihadis who fight while posing as civilians or who use human shields and who can be executed rather than be classified as POW's if they are caught while still alive.

Are you sure you mean to say that you are against the Rules of War stating that they can be executed?

The original question is why go to a known terrorist's house and capture him instead of simply dropping a JDAM on his house.

The answer was that the terrorist could have a gold mine of intelligence information that can be very useful. Saddam, for example, was captured with information provoded by one of his henchman that was captured instead of just killed.

If the terrorist deserves killing after interrogation, the Rules of War provide for that as they allow the execution of unlawful combatants. Example: The execution of Nazi and Japanese war crimminals after the end of World War II.