Guerrilla warfare and international law - sorry, didn't knwo

[mentalbunny]

I have a question regarding the law and guerrillla warfare, is it illegal? And if it is, is it always illegal? Sorry, this may be a really stupid question but I don't have a clue.

[Red Comrade]

Guerrilla warfare in what sense? If it's illegal against international law?

I'm pretty sure it is, since it's the bourgeois western governments with extremely large and well-funded militaries that make up "international law" (ironic thing is that they break these international laws themselves!). For example, people that give orders to use guerrilla tactics against the U.S. will most likely be charged with war crimes.

Lenin was against it as well, but he had the luxury of having mass amounts of peasants behind him. I personally believe that the only way a small group of people will win a war is through hit-and-run tactics. But that's for another thread.

[mentalbunny]

It's cos of the political compass, one of the questions is whether you agree with military action if it goes against international law, but I don't knwo what it means by military, I guess it means the state's army not a group of guerrillas but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Incidently the political compass site is lokoing very nice at the moment, they updated it fairly recently.

[Red Comrade]

No, I think you're probably right. When it says international law I guess it means UN security council, which is like "the world's congress". And if you defy congress, you are breaking the law.

[mentalbunny]

Well according to dictionary.com military is anything to do with soldiers so I guess that includes guerrilla action.

[elijahcraig]

I'm sure it is, it is an attack on the government, directly. They wouldn't let that pass, though they do it for themselves quite often.

Guerilla warfare has its pros and cons. And if you are counting on raising support through this type of thing you are going to have to consider the media's role also, they can distort your views, turn you into terrorists, not even tell who you really are. The media, at least in America's highly monopolized capitalist state, would be a tool of the State against a movement of this sort. But it depends on the circumstances. You'd probably be all dead in a week or so if you seriously tried it.

[Iepilei]

Guerrilla tactics aren't illegal, because the US adopted them for their war strategy. However the actual concept of organised guerrilla warfare (partisan war against the structure) might be iffy.

[elijahcraig]

Guerilla tactics used by the US aren't illegal because the US makes the rules, guerilla tactics against the US are illegal because the US makes the rules.

The US government has also murdered millions, but no one has been electrocuted yet.

[mentalbunny]

Thanks for the responses, all very interesting.

[StRiKeR]

well is it not illegel cause the u.s use it themselves.oh sorry i saw you wrote that already.sory

[Hendrix]

I think that Guerilla warfare shouldn't be against international law but should be against Federal Laws so that other countries cannot become involved in other countries business like the united states is doing right now.

[bluerev002]

mmm, of course any country will count it as illegal. because its like starting up a revolution against teh goverment.

LIke in Cuba when Castro took over and used his guerrilla army as THE army, having peasanst and whatnot behind him as defenders of the revolution.
but triying to raise up a Guerrilla army against him would make you an Anti-Revolutionary.

Its probably the same in otehr countries.

[Nickademus]

gureilla warfare illegal? from an international law stance ... of course it is.....war is illegal (unless sanctioned by the UN Security Council).

I think really what you want to know is whether the specific tactics are illegal. All i can say is that humanitarian law (the law regulating warfare) is a very very complicated and convoluted area of law. every tiny little thing has to be carefully scrutinized. its really impossible to make such a generalization.

and to those of you who have said it can't be illegal because the USA utilizes those tactics -- think about that. not everything the USA does is in fact legal (might i remind you of a few recent wars that were very much illegal).

[Douche the Bagger]

I dont know how to put this easily or clearly. Guerrilla warfare is used by the people, the revolutionaries. Is it right or wrong, the people decide that. If you fight for the people and their cause, it's not illegal to them and will support any kind of guerrilla band which in turn makes it very difficult for an organized army to put down. The only force that a military has to combat guerrillas are trained agents in such tactics, for example the Marines and CIA. But I ask, ...why do you ask the question? Are you hinting at something?

[mentalbunny]

I asked the question because I was looking at the poltical compass site and one of the statements is about military action.