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Definitions
Sep. 5th, 2005 02:40 pmI have been thinking about this for sometime and I wanted to post this:
Freedom Fighter / Guerrilla / Insurgent: Members of small independent military groups composed of irregular troops, typically fighting against larger and better equipped regular forces. These soldiers are still subject to the laws of war, in that they are bound to respect them. The regular forces opposing them may feel no such compunction. The laws of war compel them to strike only against legitimate targets of the opposing forces, this includes military, police and government personnel and property and para-military forces that support the government. Attacks against civilians are expressly forbidden, though they may become inadvertent casualties in the confrontations with legitimate targets. These people seek to overthrow the current regime and replace it with another one.
Terrorist: One who through their actions creates terror, these actions almost always involve random attacks on the civilian populace. They seek to cause disruption, unease and undermine the morale and government efficiency of the target. Terrorists are criminals both by the Laws of War and by civil law.
The first is NOT the same as the second. The majority of the attacks in Iraq are by Terrorists, plain and simple, they have no claim to moral superiority over anyone. They are not fighting a war of liberation, they are just killers.
And for reference:
Regular Soldiers: Uniformed soldiers and part of the military of a recognized state.
Irregular Soldiers: Un-uniformed soldiers, often organized on an ad hoc basis. Often locals called upon to assist the regular military or civilians who take up arms.
Freedom Fighter / Guerrilla / Insurgent: Members of small independent military groups composed of irregular troops, typically fighting against larger and better equipped regular forces. These soldiers are still subject to the laws of war, in that they are bound to respect them. The regular forces opposing them may feel no such compunction. The laws of war compel them to strike only against legitimate targets of the opposing forces, this includes military, police and government personnel and property and para-military forces that support the government. Attacks against civilians are expressly forbidden, though they may become inadvertent casualties in the confrontations with legitimate targets. These people seek to overthrow the current regime and replace it with another one.
Terrorist: One who through their actions creates terror, these actions almost always involve random attacks on the civilian populace. They seek to cause disruption, unease and undermine the morale and government efficiency of the target. Terrorists are criminals both by the Laws of War and by civil law.
The first is NOT the same as the second. The majority of the attacks in Iraq are by Terrorists, plain and simple, they have no claim to moral superiority over anyone. They are not fighting a war of liberation, they are just killers.
And for reference:
Regular Soldiers: Uniformed soldiers and part of the military of a recognized state.
Irregular Soldiers: Un-uniformed soldiers, often organized on an ad hoc basis. Often locals called upon to assist the regular military or civilians who take up arms.
