Three doctors among suspects in Britain terror plots

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Give him a helicopter ride! Drop him in where the fire from hell is licking his back. Then define a soldier. My god!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

We see them as terrorists, but there is more than one person who will see them as soldiers.

A soldier defends and/or fights for a country and wears that country's flag and uniform. A soldier is following a set of internationally agreed upon rules of engagement. If (s)he doesn't, (s)he will stand trial. A terrorist does none of that but specifically seeks to inflict harm on civilians. If you can't tell the difference between a terrorist and a soldier, then I don't think you can be helped.

Not all conflict necessarily happens between distinct states. Not abiding by these international rules that will still be soldiers in their group. Its not as black and white as that.

To me, no terrorist is a soldier. A soldier has honor. There's no honor in selectively targeting civilians. Women, children and the elderly are the terrorists preferred targets. That's cowardly warfare. You may bathe in relativism. I won't.

Unfortunately, the numerous examples of state-terrorism since WW2 blur the distinction greatly (as many of these were done by those wearing flag/uniform and officially paid by the nation). Prominent amongst them:

• Pakistan with "Operation Searchlight" of 1971, misrule of Zia ul-Haq from 1977-1988
  
• South Africa, under Hendrik Verwoerd and Johannes Vorster
  
• Afghanistan under Taliban
  
• Iraq under Saddam Hussein
  
• Khmer Rouge in Cambodia
  
• Pathet Lao in Laos
  
• Argentina's "Dirty War", 1976-1982
  
• current situation in Zimbabwe
  

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

well since no answer, i'll throw this out as food for thought, the 3rd geneva convention

(2) Members of other militias and members of other volunteer corps, including those of organized resistance movements, belonging to a Party to the conflict and operating in or outside their own territory, even if this territory is occupied, provided that such militias or volunteer corps, including such organized resistance movements, fulfil the following conditions:[

(a) that of being commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates;

that means a chain of command and the individual is responsible for any war crimes they commit under his/her orders

(b ) that of having a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance;

a uniform of some type

© that of carrying arms openly;

not hidden under their clothes

(d) that of conducting their operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war.

a whole can of worms there which the average terrorists violates without a second thought.

(6) Inhabitants of a non-occupied territory, who on the approach of the enemy spontaneously take up arms to resist the invading forces, without having had time to form themselves into regular armed units, provided they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war.

which they don't do

link

Deep inside, D+G knows this. Some just like to try and excuse the inexcusable.

We see them as terrorists, but there is more than one person who will see them as soldiers.

A soldier defends and/or fights for a country and wears that country's flag and uniform. A soldier is following a set of internationally agreed upon rules of engagement. If (s)he doesn't, (s)he will stand trial. A terrorist does none of that but specifically seeks to inflict harm on civilians. If you can't tell the difference between a terrorist and a soldier, then I don't think you can be helped.

Not all conflict necessarily happens between distinct states. Not abiding by these international rules that will still be soldiers in their group. Its not as black and white as that.

To me, no terrorist is a soldier. A soldier has honor. There's no honor in selectively targeting civilians. Women, children and the elderly are the terrorists preferred targets. That's cowardly warfare. You may bathe in relativism. I won't.

Unfortunately, the numerous examples of state-terrorism since WW2 blur the distinction greatly (as many of these were done by those wearing flag/uniform and officially paid by the nation). Prominent amongst them:

• Pakistan with "Operation Searchlight" of 1971, misrule of Zia ul-Haq from 1977-1988
  
• South Africa, under Hendrik Verwoerd and Johannes Vorster
  
• Afghanistan under Taliban
  
• Iraq under Saddam Hussein
  
• Khmer Rouge in Cambodia
  
• Pathet Lao in Laos
  
• Argentina's "Dirty War", 1976-1982
  
• current situation in Zimbabwe
  

You provided the key right there.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6265500.stm

About what I thought - the NHS has been importing medical staff for a few years now (giving priority to residents in its former colonies).