26 June 2006

Excerpt From "The Jacksonian Tradition" By Walter Russell Mead

Jacksonian America has clear ideas about how wars should be fought, how enemies should be treated, and what should happen when the wars are over. It recognizes two kinds of enemies and two kinds of fighting: honorable enemies fight a clean fight and are entitled to be opposed in the same way; dishonorable enemies fight dirty wars and in that case all rules are off.

An honorable enemy is one who declares war before beginning combat; fights according to recognized rules of war, honoring such traditions as the flag of truce; treats civilians in occupied territory with due consideration; and -- a crucial point-- refrains from the mistreatment of prisoners of war. Those who surrender should be treated with generosity. Adversaries who honor the code will benefit from its protections, while those who want a dirty fight will get one.

Read the rest here: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2751/is_1999_Winter/ai_58381618/print

"I'll tell you what war is about; You've got to kill people, and when you've killed enough they stop fighting." Curtis LeMay.

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