why is an attack on a war ship a war crime? i'm not saying that i approve of the cole attack. i don't at all. but a "war crime" is something that violates the conventions of war. the terms usually refers to attacks against civilians or abuse of prisoners, neither of which were involved in the cole attack. if you make an attack on a warship a war crime, you're essentially criminalizing war.
not that i would particularly mind if war were criminalized. except that it would mean a lot of stuff that the u.s. does right now would be a war crime too. if blowing up a warship is a war crime? why isn't "shock and awe"?
