After reading yet another blog attacking the US "executions" of insurgents, I had to respond.

As a country all too familiar with "cyber" war through first person shooter games, we have the tendency to apply our cyberwar standards to real life combat situations. Thus we feel informed enough to state our opinion on the situation, and to judge our soldiers prematurely for their decisions.

Cyber war, however, is no more real than cyber sex or computer football games. Just as Grand Theft Auto doesn't give you the skills to drive a car, just as Madden 2k5 doesn't give you the skills to coach in the NFL, first person shooter games do NOT give you the information needed to judge the actions of our military personnel.

There are reasons their actions are subject to courts martial rather than civilian trials. For one, they are before people who can judge what WAS done with the rules of engagement that they, too, have been taught, trained and instructed to observe. Civilians, frankly, don't have access to all the information necessary to make a proper decision, and, for that matter, neither does your favorite AP writer.

So, while the rules of your first person shooter game may apply to your cyber universe, they do not necessarily apply to real life combat. And we would be well advised to reserve judgement until those in the know have the ability to make an informed decision.