Re:Two Indian engineers at Garmin in Kansas shot, one killed
by yummyfajitas on Friday February 24, 2017 @11:34AM
(#13725111)
As I understand it, the distinction goes back to the Geneva convention and similar rules of "just war" that aim to minimize harm to civilians.
Specifically, if you openly declare war, wear uniforms, carry weapons openly and follow other rules of war, your opponents can blow you up while leaving civilians alone (and you can do the same to them). Then you've just got a regular war going on.
The reason is that stealth is necessary for planning a terrorist attack (and therefore redundant -- any violent attack on a civilian target is going to be stealthily planned almost by definition), and also not a pre-requisite in the after-math of a terrorist attack. In fact, most terrorist organizations brag about their attacks pretty openly. Even in some cases when they weren't actually responsible.