What's the difference between "hostages" and "detainees"?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

Our military and CIA take "detainees" to hold and torture. The "terrorists" take hostages and demand "detainees" be released or they will kill the hostages.

Just askin'.

[Solly Mack]

1. One is government sanctioned?

The government can legally kill you for killing someone else....but killing isn't legal....unless the government does it....it's a crime when you or I do it.

Hey - it's not MY logic.

[txindy]

2. It all depends on who is saying it.

Another example would be "insurgents" and "rebels."

To quote Benjamin Franklin in one of my favorite movies, '1776':

A rebellion is always legal in the first person, such as "our rebellion." It is only in the third person - "their rebellion" - that it becomes illegal.

[hwmnbn]

3. well it's like this..........

Occupiers (that's us) capture terrorists (that's them) and hold them as detainees (That's them when we got em)

Terrorists (that's them) capture occupiers (that's us) and hold them as hostages (that's us when they got us)

Other than that, there's NO fucking difference!!

[justabob]

4. same as the difference between terrorists and freedom fighters nt