International Medical Ethics & International War & Peace Time Law: I Can’t Believe This Is A Human Rights Issue!: International PNP® February 2, 2012

During an Armed Conflict, Germ Warfare is a military action & technique to produce causalities, debilitate, incapacitate, or weaken the enemy forces by the use of agents that work on biological functioning, such as:

• Pathogenic Organisms
• Agricultural Pests
  

  Germs, Viruses, & Bacteria

• Toxins
• Viruses
• Bacteria
• Chemicals
• Disease Causing Agents

Many come from nature to incapacitate, kill, debilitate, or weaken.

These acts are considered:

• Military Action or Techniques (Armed Conflict)
• Terrorist Action or Techniques (Peacetime)
• Para-Terrorist Action or Techniques (Peacetime)
• Guerilla Tactics (Armed Conflict or Peacetime) (http://paranormalpsychology.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/germ-warfare).

Also see: Bioterrorism, Bioterrorism, Bio Warfare, Bio Para-terrorism, Bio Para-terrorist, Germ Terrorism, Germ Terrorist, Germ Para-terrorist, Germ Para-terrorism, Biological Warfare, Biological Terrorism, Biological Terrorist, Biological Para-terrorism, Biological Para-terrorist

The Responsibility to Protect(RtoP or R2P) is a rule or belief governing behavior or a standard (principles or norms) of supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, not a special right, advantage, or immunity granted  only to one person or group of people (sovereignty not privilege) that prevents and halts:

• Genocide,
• War Crimes,
• Crimes against Humanity, and
• Ethnic Cleasing.

A state (country) has the responsiblity to protect its population, if unable the International community has responsibility to assist the state by building its capacity (http://writingsofafricanamericans.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/what-is-responsibility-to-protect-rtop-r2p/).

When in or dealing with other countries, the Medical field must be careful. USA private practices, hospitals, and doctors also have relations with International organ donation sources. Some of the means to obtain organ donations could be illegal and unethical.  It sounds like something unthinkable, but some organs we have two of and it does not cause death if it is taken. Other organs there is only one of and causes death if someone takes it out of the body for sale to someone in need (http://internationalpnp.wordpress.com/2009/12/28/organ-harvesting-international-medical-ethics).

In the United States of America, the child abuse & domestic violence laws are different than those of other countries. Some countries still consider women and children property. In countries that support human trafficking, a culture of secrecy may protect the victim. Here in the United States of America, we have victim’s rights and agencies that protect and care for women  & children, not all countries have this. An example is the Newsweek article that is on the front page about torcher from leaving abusive families in Afghanistan (http://tmscsecuritysvcs.blogspot.com/2010/09/what-impact-does-removal-of-clergy-for.html).

Humanitarian Aid is a response to a crisis or emergency and is material, food, water, clothing, etc. assistance for saving lives, alleviating suffering, and maintaining human dignity, and does not address the underlying socioeconomic factors which lead to the crisis or emergency. Internationally,this is invoked two ways:

1. Peacetime- Human Rights Law
2. Armed conflict- International Humanitarian Law (http://writingsofafricanamericans.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/what-is-humanitarian-aid-2/)

The Four Geneva Conventions of 1949 were held from April 21 to August 12, 1949. The Purpose of the Four Geneva Conventions:

“…the protection of civilian persons in time of war…”

“…all cases of declared war or of any other armed conflict which may arise between two or more of the High Contracting Parties. Even if the state of war is not recognized by one of them…Even if not present…the Powers who are parties there to shall remain bound by it in their mutual relations…”

International Humanitarian Law is also called:

• The Law of War or
• The Law of Armed Conflict (http://writingsofafricanamericans.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/the-four-geneva-conventions-of-1949-international-humanitarian-law/).

Biological/Germ Warfare can be used medically for ethical violations, there are international laws that already address these issues, I hope the World uses them!