On 4 May 2004 12:54:45 -0700, (Fred the Red
Shirt) wrote:

Peter H Proctor

With the exception of local militia forces rushing to the defense of
their country, any belligerent not in uniform is a "spy" and can be
legally executed in wartime. Psychological stress is sure a lot
less than this..

Certain actions, such as torture and summary execution are crimes
without regard to the choice of victim.

Arguable. But what if "psychological stress" can save innocent
lives ?

No decent person denies this.

Say (e.g) you could have prevented 9/11 by using "psychological
methods" . I know what I woudl have done....

Summry execution of suspected spies has been outlawed since at
least the 1907 Hague Conventions, which you can find online.

The US and the UK were executing "spies" in WW2. Don't recall any
recent cases, but as far as I know, the provision is still there.
BTW, early conventions only appled to "civilized combatants", i.e,
Europeans and maybe the Japanese. "Savage tribes" were free game.

PHP