Relic of Postwar Optimism

There's nothing worse for the rule of law than passing laws which can't or won't be enforced. Whoever drafted Common Article III in the Geneva Convention did us all a disservice by using vague aspirations that would hardly be teally put into effect by belligerent nations. The "degrading or humiliating standard" would be violated merely by the fact of being a prisoner or detainee. Ask Ahmadinejad to explain what "outrage against human dignity" means. Surely a refugee camp like Jenin in the West Bank or anywhere else is a violation, as well. Some people have forfeited all human dignity by their viciousness and hatred of personal choice, individual rights and respect and murderous deeds.

The fact that the article makes no distinction between illegal combatants and real civilians is a serious flaw. We'd be doing the rest of the world a service to call attention to silly language like this and demand that it be amended to something more realistic.

For people who would gladly wound or kill their guards by any means available to be protected against outrages against human dignity seems like a bad joke. Their own concept of human dignity is that, if we don't convert to Islam, we deserve to be killed.

I remember reading all kinds of stories as a child about silly people who taught lessons through their buffoonery, like the man and his son traveling with their donkey, the man riding. As they travel they hear criticisms, the man should let the boy ride, they shouldn't burden the donkey, etc. In the end they end up carrying the donkey who struggles and is lost over a bridge. They had nothing on modern diplomacy.