Day 1,082: Pentagon would disobey Trump orders to commit war crimes
Just two days ago, Donald Trump vowed to commit war crimes if Iran retaliated for Gen. Qassem Soleimani’s death via U.S. drone strike. With Washington and Tehran rapidly increasing hostilities over the past few weeks, there is concern about an all out war with a president who doesn’t seem prepared for one in any sense of the word.
Trump’s promise to bomb 52 sites “important to Iran [and] the Iranian culture” was met with backlash by many, as there was no military justification for attacking such areas and killing innocent civilians. Destroying cultural sites is banned under the Geneva Conventions, as is targeting civilians.
As for following those orders, not so fast, said the Pentagon.
In theory, as commander-in-chief, Trump’s orders must be followed. However, the military is also bound to ignore illegal orders. By following illegal orders, those committing atrocities are guilty of committing war crimes as well. And Trump’s threats to bomb cultural sites would clearly be illegal according to Trump’s own Secretary of Defense.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the U.S. will “follow the laws of armed conflict.” When asked if that ruled out targeting cultural sites, Esper said pointedly, “That’s the laws of armed conflict.”
Esper’s public comments reflected the private concerns of other defense and military officials, who cited legal prohibitions on attacks on civilian, cultural and religious sites, except under certain, threatening circumstances.
Trump’s Secretary of State — maybe the biggest bootlicker in the administration —also pushed back on Trump’s idea to commit war crimes.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday said that any U.S. military strikes inside Iran would be legal.
“We’ll behave inside the system,” Pompeo said. “We always have and we always will.”
Trump’s words and actions are so heinous that he is getting his own Cabinet to openly defy him and promise to disobey his orders.
1,082 days in, 380 to go
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