Quote Originally Posted by Presley Cannady View Post
Assuming...

1. that the vast majority of detainees captured on battlefield are discovered to be worthless as intelligence assets in short order, and
2. detaining fighters doesn't do much to dent the enemy's manpower...

...why bother maintaining them in the first place? Why not release them with some provisions to help them on their way home?
You release them and they are back in the front line before you know it. You detain them until the war is over. You do understand the futility of just releasing captives don't you?