Everybody knows this: Wearing a uniform gives a soldier special status and legal rights. A uniformed soldier is also expected to behave under a known code of conduct while on the battle field. This is a tradition as old as civilization and was codified in the Geneva convention during the previous century. If a person acts as a combatant and is not wearing a uniform then he is neither bound by the rules of war or protected by them. The fate of a non-uniformed combatant upon capture is up to the mercy of the capturing soldier. Also anyone abusing the white flag whether uniformed or not has also violated the traditional rules of war. Their fate is dependent upon the whim of the capturing soldier. Whether these people who use treachery are war criminals or not is a moot point because very few of them will survive capture.

Gary