Pentagon Whistleblower Criticizes "Bloodthirst" of Iran War, Says Hegseth Is Enabling War Crimes
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖The US-Israeli war in Iran is described as 'wholly illegal' and 'reckless,' with little regard for innocent lives.
- ❖A strike on a girls' school in southern Iran killed 175 people, deemed 'pure negligence' by a former targeting specialist.
- ❖Over 130 civilian casualty incidents from US and Israeli strikes in Iran are being tracked.
- ❖Pete Hegseth is accused of directing and expressing intent for war crimes, including targeting civilian infrastructure and 'giving no quarter.'
- ❖The magnitude of strikes in Iran's initial days exceeded the first six months of the counter-ISIS campaign, suggesting inadequate target assessment.
- ❖Hegseth's influence has led to a higher tolerance for civilian casualties and a disregard for international law and US military's 'sacred values.'
- ❖The Pentagon's Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, a top priority under previous administrations, was dissolved under Hegseth's team.
- ❖The US military is reportedly importing practices from the Israeli military, which is accused of genocide in Gaza, where 'precision munitions' caused massive civilian harm.
Insights
1Reckless Targeting and Civilian Harm
The opening hours of the US-Israeli war in Iran included a strike on a girls' school, killing 175, which a former targeting specialist labeled 'pure recklessness' and 'negligence.' This incident is part of a broader pattern, with over 130 civilian casualty incidents tracked, indicating a systemic disregard for civilian protection.
The strike on the girls' school (), 'pure recklessness, pure negligence' (), '130 separate civilian casualty incidents' ().
2Intentional War Crimes by Leadership
Pete Hegseth is accused of directly ordering and expressing intent for war crimes, such as striking civilian infrastructure 'just for the fun of it,' decimating Iran's power grid, and 'giving no quarter to the enemy.' Senior military leadership is reportedly complying with these directives, indicating a top-down mandate for actions that violate international law.
Hegseth 'already directed the committing of war crimes' (), 'expresses intent to commit even more war crimes' (), 'talking about giving no quarter to the enemy, a war crime' ().
3Dismantling Civilian Protection Mechanisms
The Pentagon's Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, a department dedicated to improving civilian harm mitigation and response, was dissolved under Hegseth's team. This office, once a top priority, was reportedly targeted because its focus on 'civilian protection' was deemed 'woke,' removing critical expertise and oversight.
The 'civilian protection center of excellence' was 'completely targeted' (), its first two words 'civilian protection' fell 'under this construct of woke' ().
4Erosion of Military Ethics and Standards
Hegseth's leadership has set a precedent for a higher tolerance of civilian casualties and a complete disregard for standing operational practices that adhere to international law and the 'sacred values' of American warfighters, such as protecting the innocent. This has created a dangerous cultural shift within the military.
Hegseth 'setting a higher tolerance for civilian casualties' (), 'complete disregard for standing operational practices' (), 'this entire warrior ethos that Hegseth proliferates. It's frankly disgusting' ().
5Importation of Israeli Military Practices
A significant danger is that the US military is beginning to adopt the practices of the Israeli military, particularly as seen in Gaza, where 'precision munitions' were used to destroy 80-90% of infrastructure and kill thousands of civilians. This suggests a dangerous redefinition of 'precision warfare' and implicates the US in complicity.
The 'US military is now starting to import the practices of the Israeli military' (), 'in Gaza, for example, precision munitions have destroyed 80 to 90% of the infrastructure, killed thousands of civilians' ().
Bottom Line
The US military's adoption of Israeli military practices, particularly regarding 'precision warfare' as demonstrated in Gaza, represents a critical shift that could normalize widespread civilian harm under the guise of advanced targeting.
This 'importation' of tactics could fundamentally alter the ethical framework of US military engagements globally, leading to increased civilian casualties and potential complicity in actions deemed war crimes by international bodies.
Analysts and human rights organizations should closely monitor US military doctrine and operational changes for evidence of this shift, advocating for adherence to international humanitarian law and challenging the redefinition of 'precision warfare' to exclude civilian protection.
Key Concepts
Warrior Ethos (Corrupted)
The traditional American warrior ethos, embodying honor, humanity, temperance, and protection of the innocent, is contrasted with the 'disgusting' and opposite values allegedly promoted by current military leadership, particularly Pete Hegseth, leading to a dangerous cultural shift within the military.
Precision Warfare (Misunderstood)
The concept that using 'precision munitions' automatically equates to 'precision warfare' is debunked. The example of Gaza, where precision munitions destroyed 80-90% of infrastructure and killed thousands of civilians, illustrates that true precision warfare requires minimizing civilian harm, not just accurate targeting of military objectives.
Lessons
- Scrutinize official military statements regarding civilian casualties and 'precision strikes,' understanding that 'precision munitions' do not guarantee 'precision warfare.'
- Advocate for the reinstatement and strengthening of civilian protection mechanisms within military structures, such as the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence.
- Demand accountability from military and political leaders for actions that appear to violate international law and established ethical standards for warfare.
Notable Moments
The initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran included a direct hit on a girls' primary school in southern Iran, resulting in the deaths of at least 175 people, an act described as 'pure recklessness' and 'negligence' by a former targeting specialist.
This incident serves as concrete evidence of alleged war crimes and a disregard for civilian life from the outset of the conflict, directly challenging claims of ethical or precise military operations.
The Pentagon's Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, established to improve civilian harm mitigation, was dissolved by current leadership who reportedly viewed its focus on 'civilian protection' as 'woke.'
The dismantling of a dedicated office for civilian protection signals a deliberate policy shift away from safeguarding non-combatants, indicating a systemic erosion of ethical standards within the military apparatus.
Quotes
"This strike was not a case of fog of war. It was pure and complete negligence. And it's representative of a pattern of this deevolution of these standards and practices that the US military has been upholding and condoning up until Hegath took the reigns."
"Pete Hegseth has already directed the committing of war crimes and unfortunately our senior military leadership is bending the knee and carrying out whatever he tells them to do."
"Protecting the innocent and civilians is actually true precision warfare because as it turns out, when you when you kill less civilians, you're you're putting more of your resources into finding and killing the enemy."
"The US military is now starting to import the practices of the Israeli military. And either way, we are complicit in everything happening in Iran, whether Israel carries it out or the US."
Q&A
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