Kanamori
does this apply to someone who is simply detained in a war zone, or do they have be a combatent?
They are entitled to POW status if they are a soldier , civilian , combatant or non combatant , until there is a tribunal to determine their status .


Tincow
We are not talking about jailing or executing these people without a trial.
They are in detention so they have the rights of detainees , sentencing is irrelevant to those rights .
Its the law

Louis
Since you mention "duration of the conflict": I don't remember the USA being at war with anyone currently: war in Afghanistan is over, war in Iraq is over.
What about Korea , that is still a war , but strictly speaking that is the UN not the US .