"....human nature. People can be confoundedly difficult."
after 40 years of dealing (professionally) with the critters.

I should have asked the "turn on, turn off" question more clearly. The "turn on" part has to do with perception of a "danger signal" - correct or amplify if I am off base.

The "turn off" part is what I was getting at. Do most[*] folks turn off killing because (feel free to add to the list):

1. They perceive the danger is past.

2. They are stopped by "postive law" [**], which says "stop killing now".

3. Their "animal" (psychotic) state becomes a "humane" (sane) state.

Assuming that my theory - that operational law must correspond to what is a reality in the field (law serves the soldier; the soldier does not serve the law) - is in force [***], what turns folks off killing will shape how the law is stated.

Your thoughts on this basic question.

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[*] The reason for "most" is that we are looking for something that will fit a majority of cases. Outliers (like the poor in spirit or units) will always be with us - and can be handled by addenda, exceptions, etc. Have to establish the baseline first.

[**] I am using "postive law" very broadly - not only the "laws of war" (statutes, GCs, UCMJ), but also ROEs and orders (which I realize in doctrine are part of the military operational complex).

[***] I read your comments on the difficulties in selling this - agreed; but first you have to have something to sell. Also agree that the Armed Forces reflect society - and so do lawyers (all those bad "trial lawyers" would disappear quickly if there were few clients who wanted to bring the cases on).