The war crime hits, they keep on coming.
Despite President Donald Trump’s assertion that he is limited only by his own “morality” when dealing with international relations, disguising your military assets is a war crime. Perfidy.
Hegseth sent a disguised military plane into the Caribbean to blow the first small boat of “narco terrorists” out of the water. (Remember, it took two passes.)
According to the New York Times (gift link):
“The nonmilitary appearance is significant, according to legal specialists, because the administration has argued its lethal boat attacks are lawful…
“[Yet] the laws of armed conflict prohibit combatants from feigning civilian status to fool adversaries into dropping their guard, then attacking and killing them. That is a war crime called ‘perfidy.’
“Retired Maj. Gen. Steven J. Lepper, a former deputy judge advocate general for the United States Air Force, said that if the aircraft had been painted in a way that disguised its military nature and got close enough for the people on the boat to see it — tricking them into failing to realize they should take evasive action or surrender to survive — that was a war crime under armed-conflict standards…
“The Trump administration kept planning for the boat attacks operation closely held, excluding many military lawyers and operational experts who would normally be involved. Moreover, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has sought to undercut the role of military lawyers as an internal check, including by firing the top service JAGs in February.”
Trump and Hegseth insist that they have the right to kill these boat men. There is a wide array of critics that insist the attacks are unlawful as well as being war crimes. “The military is not allowed to target civilians who pose no imminent threat, even if they are suspected of crimes,” according to the NYT.
“I don’t like you, so I can kill you,” seems to be the Trump motto.
Known for gnawing at complex questions like a terrier with a bone. Digital evangelist, writer, teacher. Transplanted Southerner; teach newbies to ride motorcycles. @kegill (Twitter and Mastodon.social); wiredpen.com