Civilian

A civilian is a person who is not a member of a military. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention it is a war crime to deliberately attack a non-combatant civilian or wantonly and unnecessarily destroy or take the property of a civilian.

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However, civilian property may be destroyed in pursuit of a military objective; civilian property may be seized for military use; and collateral damage is an accepted part of war.

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In practice, the neat division between combatants and non-combatants implicit in such treaties can be very unclear, particularly in guerilla warfare where the guerillas receive the support of the local population. It is sometimes argued that the division between civilian and military and the abhorrence towards attacks on civilians is a reflection of Western attitudes to war, and that other societies do not make such distinctions but find other aspects of Western-style warfare abhorrent (such as strategic bombing).

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The possible cultural perception notwithstanding, 188 states are party to the applicable Geneva Convention (as at 31 December 1996) including such non-Western countries that have been in conflict since the 12 August 1949 date of the Convention as Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, Congo, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, both Koreas, Kuwait, Laos, Rwanda, Syria and Vietnam. http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/iwpList160/D89499AA0F2E88C0C1256B66005A784B

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See also: Laws of war, Law of land warfare, combatant. illegal combatant.

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Military: A military or military force (n., from Latin militarius, miles "soldier") has seen many different incarnations throughout time. Early armies may have been just men with sharpened sticks and rocks, through time they have included advancements such as men mounted on horses, men wielding swords and ot...

Fourth Geneva Convention: The Fourth Geneva Convention ("GCIV") relates to the protection of civilians during times of war "in the hands" of an enemy and under any occupation by a foreign power. This should not be confused with the more common Third Geneva Convention which deals with the treatment of Prisoners of war. The c...

War crime: A war crime is a punishable offense, under international (criminal) law, for violations of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. Every violation of the law of war in an inter-state conflict is a war crime, while violations in internal conflicts don't necessarily amount to wa...

Civilian related Images and Photos (experimental)

The Young Civilian's Toilet Plate 1 from "Anglo Indians"

French Soldiers with Three Civilian Men

America Calling Take Your Place in Civilian Defense c.1941

Two Soldiers Envy a Line of Civilian Drivers They Crash But They Don't Die