"Don't forget that a large number of retired Generals and Admirals combined to submit an amicus brief in Hamdan.

They begged the court to uphold the Geneva Conventions citing self-interested reasons why the US should be seen to honor them.

They gave the example of Somalia where, although the enemy were not signatories to the Conventions, they were eventually persuaded to observe the Conventions in respect of US prisoners on the basis that the US does the same for the prisoners it takes."

Kind of important if you are in the armed forces, what?