The idea that rules for war like the Geneva Convention are no less absurd than the old-fashioned practice of fighting in straight lines.
Some arguments for:
Some arguments against:
One effect of this idea is that wars can be divided into two categories, one more extreme than the other:
- Those wars fought according to rules
- Those wars where anything goes
Under what conditions will a war officially (as opposed to random incidents) escalate to Level 2?
The phrase also suggests that All's Fair in Love but since I know of no internationally recognized rules for romantic relationships (see The Rules) it seems much less interesting.