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Message: <blockquote data-quote="delericho" data-source="post: 2836241" data-attributes="member: 22424">The crucial difference is that enemy combatants are equipped to figth back, know and (generally) accept the risks, and so forth. It's somewhat 'clean' if you will. It should also be noted that our military forces have rules for the treatment of enemy prisoners (who are helpless before our forces), and that we draw a distinction between (deliberately) attacking combatants and non-combatants, and consider ourselves civilised for doing so.Really? Do we have to drag the Nazis into this?No.Firstly, 'killing' is a Neutral act. Context is everything. Killing in combat against acknowledged enemy combatants can be considered 'clean'. Killing as part of the death penalty is arguable, and political, so let's not discuss it. So-called 'mercy killing' of someone who is in persistent pain who you can't otherwise help? Again, political.But all three of these are clearly difficult to murder.With that said, I will submit that murder committed in the name of one's country is no different from murder committed for any other reason, and is Evil. What's more, it's Evil even if you were told to do so by your superiors, or even your Commander in Chief. "I was only following orders" is no excuse.(I will acknowledge that there are situations where murder is necessary. But even in those circumstances it is still Evil, hence "a necessary evil".)</blockquote>