I wonder if a big part of the problem that we have with the Geneva Conventions is that we apply its restraints to ourselves and everyone else, be they signatories or not.

I wonder how much more respect the Geneva Conventions would get if we only applied its restraints against those that were signatories, the non-signatories be damned.

I wonder if we have made its benefits too cheap and easy for the non-signatories to benefit from with out having to be held to it.

But could we even find it in within ourselves to not apply the basic restraints of the conventions even against the worst sort? I doubt if we could.

Its an asymmetry problem.