US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's double-tap strike on a boat carrying survivors of an initial US military attack in the Caribbean may lead to him and potentially the entire chain of command being investigated for war crimes or murder, according to sources.
The Pentagon has carried out 21 known attacks, killing at least 83 civilians. Critics argue that these strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because they target civilians who don't pose an imminent threat of violence.
Experts say Hegseth's actions could result in the entire chain of command being held liable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or federal law. The US military is not permitted to deliberately target defenseless people, even suspected criminals, according to international law and the Pentagon's Law of War Manual.
The Pentagon's manual states that "persons who have been rendered unconscious or otherwise incapacitated by wounds, sickness, or shipwreck, such that they are no longer capable of fighting, are hors de combat." This principle dates back to the 1863 Lieber Code.
Lawmakers from both parties say Hegseth's reported kill-everybody order is an illegal act. The former JAGs Working Group, a group of former and retired military judge advocates, condemned the secretary's actions as "war crimes, murder, or both."
The Trump administration claims that the attacks are permitted because they are part of a non-international armed conflict with designated terrorist organizations. However, experts argue that this justification is based on flawed reasoning.
Pentagon press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Hegseth authorized the double-tap attack, while other officials claim that the secretary's actions could make him and others in the chain of command liable for murder under US law.
The Pentagon has carried out 21 known attacks, killing at least 83 civilians. Critics argue that these strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because they target civilians who don't pose an imminent threat of violence.
Experts say Hegseth's actions could result in the entire chain of command being held liable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or federal law. The US military is not permitted to deliberately target defenseless people, even suspected criminals, according to international law and the Pentagon's Law of War Manual.
The Pentagon's manual states that "persons who have been rendered unconscious or otherwise incapacitated by wounds, sickness, or shipwreck, such that they are no longer capable of fighting, are hors de combat." This principle dates back to the 1863 Lieber Code.
Lawmakers from both parties say Hegseth's reported kill-everybody order is an illegal act. The former JAGs Working Group, a group of former and retired military judge advocates, condemned the secretary's actions as "war crimes, murder, or both."
The Trump administration claims that the attacks are permitted because they are part of a non-international armed conflict with designated terrorist organizations. However, experts argue that this justification is based on flawed reasoning.
Pentagon press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Hegseth authorized the double-tap attack, while other officials claim that the secretary's actions could make him and others in the chain of command liable for murder under US law.
. I mean, I get it, security is a big deal, but can't they just try to de-escalate situations or something? instead of going all out with these double-tap strikes. and now people are saying that the whole chain of command might be in trouble... what's next? 
. I know the US military is supposed to follow some guidelines, like that thing about not targeting defenseless people. but come on, can't they just make an exception for this one boat? it's not like they didn't have other options. and now there are these lawmakers from both parties saying that Hegseth's orders were illegal... it's getting super weird 
.
And now people are saying he might be investigated for war crimes or murder? 
It's like, what is happening to our military? Have they lost all sense of humanity? 
I mean, I know we have enemies, but killing civilians just 'cause? That's not right, bro. 
And can someone explain this "hors de combat" thing to me? Is it like, a fancy way of saying people can't be killed if they're not fighting? 
Like what even is wrong with these ppl?? The Pentagon's Law of War Manual is super clear about not targetin defenseless people , and now it sounds like they just ignored all those rules . This could be super bad for the US military and the world . The fact that lawmakers from both parties are callin out Hegseth's actions as illegal makes me think there's some real validity to this . I'm keepin an eye on this situation 
... I mean, come on Pentagon! You're supposed to protect people not kill 'em 
. Double-tap? That's just messed up 
. And what's with all these attacks in the Caribbean? When did the US military become a bunch of lawless vigilantes? 
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The Pentagon is getting roasted for its questionable actions in the Caribbean 
! It's super concerning that they've carried out 21 attacks, killing at least 83 civilians 
. I mean, who gives orders to wipe out defenseless people? 
. Newsflash: that doesn't fly, folks! The Pentagon's own manual explicitly states that you can't deliberately target defenseless people 
. Time to get some serious answers from our leaders 
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It's basic international law, people! We need to hold our military leaders accountable for their actions, not sweep them under the rug. 
