Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Napoleonic battle ethics; or, `When to Fink on an Errant Boss...'
Message-ID: <6529@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 20-Mar-86 17:35:09 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.6529
Posted: Thu Mar 20 17:35:09 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Mar-86 17:35:09 EST
References: <6513@utzoo.UUCP>, <893@masscomp.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 15

> Everybody that goes through military basic training is taught that if
> you are given an order by a superior that you think is illegal or 
> otherwise "questionable",  you OBEY the order and complain later.

Quite true.  What they don't tell you, however, is that this can get you
hanged for war crimes if you take it too literally.  The training is based
on the -- reasonable, sensible -- view that the superior probably knows
the situation better than you do, and delay can be disastrous.  There
remains, however, a class of orders for which obedience is a violation of
both national and international law.  (Note that treaties, e.g. the Geneva
Convention, which are ratified by the Senate have the force of law in the
United States.)
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry