Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, during a televised press briefing at the Pentagon on the Iran war on March 13, vowed this about America’s response to Iran’s ruling regime: “We will keep pushing, keep advancing. No quarter, no mercy for our enemies”
These words in themselves could be a violation of both U.S. and international law
Hegseth’s declaration of “no quarter” implicates a foundational prohibition under the law of war[…]
Dating back to at least the Civil War, the denial of quarter has been forbidden. As articulated in the 1863 Lieber Code[…]
The law of war prohibits military leaders from the speech act of announcing “no quarter” alone[…]
Denial of quarter is also a war crime under U.S. law. The War Crimes Act criminalizes violations of the following rule: “it is especially forbidden… [t]o declare that no quarter will be given”[…]
Once a television personality, Hegseth may have intended his bellicose rhetoric as a made-for-TV flourish. But his job description is different now. Despite his civilian attire, the Secretary of Defense is a military leader in the chain of command. Whether he appreciates it or not, his words alone have legal significance
8 comments
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
To post a comment, you'll need to Sign in or Register. Making an account also allows you to claim credit for submitting quotes, and to vote on quotes and comments. You don't even need to give us your email address.
