Originally Posted by RileyDove
There isn't a clear demarkation between the decision to go to war taken by politicians and how that war is conducted by the armed forces.
Fortunatley, this distinction clearly exists in the laws of armed conflict - the internal law you refer too. It saves us (the military) from being prosecuted for a decision made by our political masters. An illegal war can be conducted legally. The difference is for our protection - we cannot pretend it doesn't exist when it doesn't suit us.