Quote Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh View Post
They basis of the law of war is rather simple, it is reprisal. "Too late, chum" is a manifestation of this law in praxis, and de jure standards may well differ. In the midst of a scrum, however, reprisal tends to reassert itself as the dominant principle.

The Geneva conventions etc. are attempts to codify this and to dress it up with legal nicety.

International law in general is something of a misnomer. It is custom found valuable in the long term to the interests of the nations themselves. It is enforced only to the extent that other nations are willing and/or capable to bring another nation to heel when it transgresses such "laws."
There is a fork when addressing international law/norms, its validity, especially the question of reprisal:

1. Think again, asshole. >> you better have had a damn good reason.

2. Did they save me a spot in the bunker? >> ...