Taking Hostages

Associated Press
Documents Show Army Seized Wives As Tactic
By CHARLES J. HANLEY , 01.27.2006, 01:51 PM


Silly me. I thought taking hostages was against the rules
of war. The 4th Geneva Convention says, and I quote,

"(1) Persons taking no active part in the hostilities,
including members of armed forces who have laid down
their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness,
wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all
circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse
distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith,
sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.

"To this end the following acts are and shall remain
prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with
respect to the above-mentioned persons: (a) violence to
life and person, in particular murder of all kinds,
mutilation, cruel treatment and torture; (b) taking of
hostages; (c) outrages upon personal dignity, in
particular humiliating and degrading treatment; (d) the
passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions
without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly
constituted court, affording all the judicial guarantees
which are recognized as indispensable by civilized
peoples."

Maybe the administration's copy reads "permitted" instead
of "prohibited"? Or maybe they're just going for a war crime
quadfecta.