How exactly are certain weapons banned from being used in war?

628 views

What makes things like poisonous gas or some firearms banned? Most importantly, why would nations play by the rules?

Bonus question: what exactly is a war crime and how is it punishable?

In: Other

20 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

The point of war is to defeat your enemy, not torture them. Generally agreeing not to use unnecessarily cruel weapons goes both ways. You would rather take a bullet than a gas that melts your inside over 3 weeks. Your enemies tend to feel the same.

Also, targeting civilians is frowned upon, and some of the more exotic weapons are harder to contain to your targets.

Anonymous 0 Comments

the real question is why are certain “war” weapons banned but wars are still legal? causing tragedies and devastation to hundreds and thousands of people whom have nothing to do with the feuds of government institutions should be….illegal??? governments agree that “certain” weapons cause terrifying damage but do not see the sane damage in “regular” wars? it’s confusing

Anonymous 0 Comments

Certain weapons are banned under the Geneva Conventions. I might not be 100% correct on this, but this is for nations that go to war with other nations. This stuff doesn’t really apply to civil wars and guerrilla warfare.

A lot of these weapons are banned because they have an adverse effect on the civilian population.

Anti personnel mines

Chemical agents

Nerve agents

Incendiary weapons

Nuclear weapons

Expanding ordinance (hollow points)

Cluster bombs

Etc.

Nuclear weapons are a big one because of the whole mutually destruction thing. Example: you nuke a country and they nuke you…well now no one wins and everyone loses.

In terms of war crimes: war crimes are crimes that fall under international law. Most of these came about after World War II, because of what nazi Germany and Japan did to surrounding countries and their civilian population.

War crimes are punishable after the war has concluded. Investigations are then put in motion by the nations involved. After that the trials are held which follow similar guidelines as a trial you’d see in a regular courtroom. Evidence is provided and a sentence is handed down.

Side note: During WWII pacific theater, US combat medics would often take off their Medic identifiers (the Red Cross) because Japanese soldiers would actually target medics which is against the Geneva Conventions and is considered a war crime.

Anonymous 0 Comments

It is odd to me that bleeding out from a bullet wound or having your legs blown off by a bomb is ‘legitimate’ but poison gas is ‘bad’ – war is absurd really

Anonymous 0 Comments

Fun fact:

Laser weapons are banned by the Genova Convention… But not for the reason you would think… apparently after a certain distance laser weapons become less damaging, but can still cause permanent blindness. Under the Genova Convention all weapons that can cause permanent blindness are banned.

Anonymous 0 Comments

These things don`t make sense now because if a war starts between any countries its going to be the end of human civilization

Anonymous 0 Comments

Because most of the banned weaponry and gases cause damage to civilian populations and are absolutely horrible to experience or witness. It’s one thing to see someone get their head blown off, it’s another entirely to watch someone burn to death with napalm. Or watch someone melt from certain gases. It’s a list of rules that most countries abide by. Don’t use them on us, and we won’t use them on you. And most of the countries that agree to not use them, have stockpiles of them either way. Because like you said, if you’re losing, it may turn the tide of battle. When you’re backed into a corner and have a choice, let your country be destroyed andor occupied, or use banned weapons. The problem then is, if you use them, they will be used against you as well. A war crime is any crime committed during an active war, that goes directly against treaty agreements, and rules of engagement. For instance, if I’m in the U.S. Army, and kill a couple insurgents that attacked my base, that’s no problem at all. But if I stroll into their homes and start raping their wives and killing their children, those are war crimes. If I kill people simply for being a certain race, nationality, gender, or anything that I haven’t been directed to kill by my superiors, that’s a war crime. It’s an agreement between many, many nations to ban certain types of weapons and actions in war.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Countries that agree to never use those types of weapons sign on it to never use them, so that way, if a country who didn’t sign uses them, it would be considered cruel and would not turn out great for that country.

Anonymous 0 Comments

It comes in 2 forms:

1. An agreement by both sides. Both belligerents agree, Gas is bad. So neither side uses gas. If one side disagrees, well that’s that, but if you disagree, that means the enemy can use it too, and that’s why the bans are followed. Neither side wants to be gassed, e.g.

Breaking treaties is also grounds for war anyway.

2. Victor’s Justice. Beating the other guys in war allows you to enforce bans even if the other side disagrees.

Anonymous 0 Comments

In the playground, you’re told not to throw stones. Who enforces it? The teacher (UN) and the big kids (powerful nations).

If you throw the stones at a little kid, the UN gets involved and takes away your stones. If you throw it at the big kids, they may take away your hands.