A short history of war crimes

THERE is nothing new about the awful dilemmas which face western governments wishing to capture war criminals. For 200 years attempts to create a system of international justice have repeatedly foundered for the same reason: politicians are leery of risking soldiers' lives for the sake of grabbing blood-stained enemies. A commander of the British naval squadron that finally caught Napoleon in 1815 later recalled that instructions had been “that it was very desirable to take Buonaparte alive, and with as little violence, and even inconvenience to him personally, as possible, but that he was to be taken; and that the life of any British sailor was as dear to the King of England as that of Buonaparte.” No matter: Napoleon surrendered peacefully.