Authority to court-martial non-US military personnel for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed during internal armed conflicts

Crimes against international law are committed by men, not by abstract enti ties, and only, by punishing individuals who commit such crimes can the pro visions of international law be enforced. The soldier, be he friend or foe, is charged with the protection of the wea k and unarmed. It is the very, essence and reason of his being. When he vio lates this sacred trust, he not only,profanes his entire cult, but threaten s the fabric of international society.