Misconceptions About LOAC

[Hobbs]

I get this constantly. Almost all of what I hear from people about LOAC (Law of Armed Conflict) stems from movies and media. And what is taken from that are misconceptions, overexaggerations and myths about what the LOAC actually entails. For one, it is not always a crime when a civilian dies. Yes the military is supposed to do all it can to protect civilian lives, but that doesn't make all civilian casualties the fault of military action.

So, this thread is basically a question/answer thread. OR I would want it to be. Ask about common misconceptions or anything about LOAC you're curious about, and I'll do my best to answer.

[HYHYBT]

Well, my first question would be: how do we know that we have a misconception in order to ask about it?

(This is the first I've ever heard of LOAC, but the above applies on general principle)

[Hobbs]

Well, LOAC is a general term for a series of international agreements, including the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Accords. Why don't you just ask a question, or something you saw from the news/film/tv that seemed odd or surprising? Or you could just say, "This is what I know of Geneva/Hague/LOAC...is that correct?"