>>>"Battlefield" has become a somewhat murky concept - especially in asymetric warfare. If I am a soldier in Iraq and I catch a guy planting an IED are we on a battlefield? Is he a "criminal" Does he have rights under US law?
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>>If the US law somehow applies to a citizen of a foreign country, then that country is de facto a colony. The US then have all the obligations as an occupying force, as per Geneva convention - they need to provide a lot. Which they have failed for five years, and keep failing. So why not give up if not up to the task?
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>I think the *last* thing we want is a colony. I am perfectly happy our being an occupying force in a subjugated country with all the rights and privileges that has historically entailed - including shooting anyone who doesn't see it that way, stealing anything that isn't nailed down (hard to nail oil) and going back to the ships with the best looking women over our shoulders. This thing about winning wars and then taking responsibility for the vanquished is really giving war a bad name.

Puerto Rico seems to be ok with their status.... :o) I have many friends from Puerto Rico.