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Pentagon’s New “Law of War” Manual “Reduces Us to the Level of Nazis”

George Washington's picture




 

The Pentagon’s new Law of War Manual – a 1,200-plus page document issued in June by the Defense Department’s Office of the General Counsel – is barbaric.

The Manual is so bad that one of the leading experts on the law of war (Dr. Francis Boyle) – who wrote the Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989, the American implementing legislation for the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention, served on the Board of Directors of Amnesty International, and teaches international law at the University of Illinois, Champaign – says :

This Law of War Manual reduces us to the level of Nazis. There’s no other word for it.

Boyle also says the Manual:

Reads like it was written by Hitler’s Ministry of War.

Why is the Manual so bad?

Manual Authorizes Slaughter of Innocent Civilians

Because – according to Boyle – the Manual allows massacres of civilian populations. The most comprehensive previous such document – the 1956 Pentagon field manual – assumed that any deliberate targeting of civilians was illegal and a war crime.

Reporters Can Be Assassinated

And the Manual treats allows reporters to be treated as “unprivileged combatants”, who can be assassinated.

Boyle points out that this retroactively legalizes assassination of reporters, such as Al Jazeera reporters during Iraq war. Boyle notes that even a SPY would be treated better, and given a trial.

(As we’ve previously noted, the U.S. government treats real reporters as terrorists. Because the core things which reporters do could be considered terrorism, in modern America, journalists are sometimes targeted under counter-terrorism laws.)

Manual Authorizes Barbarous War Crimes

Boyle also says the Manual authorizes the following barbarous war crimes:

(1) Warfare with nuclear weapons. Specifically, the manual states:

There is no general prohibition in treaty or customary international law on the use of nuclear weapons.

This flies in the face of the United Nations Charter, which – as noted by the World Court in its Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons – makes even threatening to use nuclear weapons a war crime.

This is also particularly worrisome because – as documented in
Towards a World War III Scenario, by Michel Chossudovsky –  the U.S. is so enamored with nuclear weapons that it has authorized low-level field commanders to use them in the heat of battle in their sole discretion … without any approval from civilian leaders.

(2) Depleted uranium. The use of depleted uranium can cause cancer and birth defects for decades (see this, this, this, this, this, this and this).

(3) Landmines.

(4) Cluster bombs.

(5) Napalm, which is banned under Protocol III of the 1980 UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

(6) Expanding hollow-point bullets, banned under the 1868 St. Petersburg declaration.

(7) Herbicides, like Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Good News

The good news – according to Dr. Boyle – is that both Congress and the president have power to revoke the Manual.

So – if we stand up and raise holy hell – we might be able to walk back from the fascist path we’re heading down.  And we can prove that we’re not the rogue nation that the rest of the world thinks we are.

 

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Sun, 08/30/2015 - 05:49 | 6486685 Farqued Up
Farqued Up's picture

And most of the human fodder are in mass graves. It failed, indeed it did.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 12:55 | 6484825 Teh Finn
Teh Finn's picture

We'd be Geraldo-free if this was implemented back in 2003...

And lol@Boyle.  Dude is a clown.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 12:39 | 6484797 Son of Captain Nemo
Son of Captain Nemo's picture

The good news – according to Dr. Boyle – is that both Congress and the president have power to revoke the Manual.

Just like Congress and the president had the power to refuse authorization of the NDAA Act Section(s) 1021 and 1022 in 2011?...

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 12:36 | 6484786 TongueStun
TongueStun's picture

The Zionist jews are the new Nazis, and whites, Christians, and heterosexuals are the new jews.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 20:53 | 6486009 dreadnaught
dreadnaught's picture

test

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 20:52 | 6486005 dreadnaught
dreadnaught's picture

 nt

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 20:49 | 6485996 dreadnaught
dreadnaught's picture

 nt

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 12:24 | 6484736 atthelake
atthelake's picture

As long as Americans allow political parties to define our morality, or in this case, lack of morality, we are doomed. Decent people don't allow endless war, cutting up babies and a thousand other things the political parties are in favor of. This is on us.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 12:09 | 6484691 the grateful un...
the grateful unemployed's picture

congress has the power to repeal the manual, theres the punch line, i needed a laugh this morning and that was it

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 14:55 | 6484732 weburke
weburke's picture

 

.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 11:52 | 6484649 stant
stant's picture

We sell baby parts in this fukdupOfA, what part of this place is doomed did ya not understand. Any god fearing person knows that

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 12:25 | 6484739 weburke
weburke's picture

look for that to cause a govt shutdown, leading to all manner of trouble.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 09:26 | 6486877 Arnold
Arnold's picture

Pardon me, WE, don't sell baby parts.

I can only think that the people involved in that horror are hyper aggressive a morals figuring in a selfish way to promote an agenda that superannuates them .

 

superannuates,..... yes that's the word I want. They  will not be needed in future world, because their acts will become so commonplace as to seem natural.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 18:46 | 6484631 SMC
SMC's picture

"Just Us" and their minions have been making the 3rd Reich look good for quite a while.

This eliminates a pushback reference for Officers and NCO’s who question their units being used as instruments of torture and murder.

 

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 11:38 | 6484624 Conax
Conax's picture

It's designed as an ass covering device. No matter what shit they pull, somewhere in there it is legalized.

Does Trump know?

heheh

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 11:57 | 6484657 atthelake
atthelake's picture

Last I knew, Trump was pro war, pro Fed and he says it's China's fault our economy is in trouble. He says nothing about the fact that all politicians are owned by every corporation, special interest, foreign government and crazy billionaire that has their price. He says nothing about the fact that all three branches of government have been totally corrupted. Trump is not the savior that some think he is. The problem is that he's better than everyone running.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 12:14 | 6484707 the grateful un...
the grateful unemployed's picture

Trump is an Aryan superman. he regulary denigrates the swarthy race. he plans to make the trains run on time. (or the economy work) he is against symbols of media decadence, such as Rosie Odonnell. he wants to preserve our native greatness by expelling the catholics. well its easy to make these analogies. i think Trump is a man who knows his limitations but that can change in a moment

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 05:43 | 6486679 Farqued Up
Farqued Up's picture

Ross Perot clone, hi Prez Hitlery.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 11:36 | 6487226 Arnold
Arnold's picture

She does look good in orange.

And her entourage out to about three of the six degrees to Kevin Bacon.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 15:19 | 6485211 atthelake
atthelake's picture

Only the Catholics? Why not everyone, else?

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 11:11 | 6484582 rwe2late
rwe2late's picture

Also:

162 countries are party to

Treaty banning land mines

USA - no

...........................

94 countries are party to

Treaty banning cluster bombs

USA - no

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 11:07 | 6484574 monad
Sat, 08/29/2015 - 11:06 | 6484570 Dickweed Wang
Dickweed Wang's picture

The good news – according to Dr. Boyle – is that both Congress and the president have power to revoke the Manual.

Good luck with that!  When have any of those assholes stuck up for the rights of the people??

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 11:04 | 6484567 Scotch-n-Soda
Scotch-n-Soda's picture

Oh please.  'According to Boyle...'  Yet no actual reference.  When I actually went in and tried to find something that says it is ok to kill journalists and civilians, I found nothing.  So screw Boyle.  And since when is using nukes a crime?  If it is a crime, then why the heck have them?  Obviously if some other country uses a nuke, we will also use a nuke.  Sometimes people just need to give it a rest.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 11:28 | 6484608 illyia
illyia's picture

That has got to be the stupidest, most naive and inexperienced comment to a seriously horrific proposition that I have ever read on ZH. Especially because it is so cavellier. How on earth anyone can accept this deadly BS is completely beyond me.

You, my SnS drinking friend, are the problem. And we will all pay for you. Mark these words.

Really. Mark them down... 'it' will happen. Because you think it is okay.

Unbelievable...

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 10:31 | 6484499 BullyBearish
BullyBearish's picture

THEY, who have captured our once great country, are taking us all down with them...if we let them

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 10:56 | 6484551 Setarcos
Setarcos's picture

It was NEVER "great".

 

Just ask native Americans from present-day Argentina to Canada.

 

Since the Founding Oligarchs got their way in 1776, the longest period without wars of conquest was five years during the Great Depression.

 

See: 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kcPyqMWems

 

You will not like it.

 

You might have to "rewind" a little to see the beginning, which is crucial.

 

 

 

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 13:03 | 6484894 TongueStun
TongueStun's picture

There is no such thing as a Native American. Keep using that term if you want to sound, stupid, ignorant and uneducated.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 08:59 | 6486836 Arnold
Arnold's picture

I believe it was Pizarro who got the ball rolling. Most every one else was following precedent.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Pizarro

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 10:42 | 6484524 atthelake
atthelake's picture

We're letting them.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 10:22 | 6484476 Gadfly
Gadfly's picture

The final result of widespread and pervasive corruption is always complete and utter destruction.  And that is the direction in which we are headed.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 10:03 | 6484433 xavi1951
xavi1951's picture

Okay.  So your article is "According to Boyle", I think I would rather read it myself than blindly believe Boyle, like we are expected to do.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 12:22 | 6484727 Big Corked Boots
Big Corked Boots's picture

Since you volunteered, read the 1200 pages this weekend. I want the report on my desk at 9 am Monday.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 10:03 | 6484432 Polymarkos
Polymarkos's picture

THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT WAR CRIMES:

 

(1) Warfare with nuclear weapons. Specifically, the manual states:

There is no general prohibition in treaty or customary international law on the use of nuclear weapons.

This flies in the face of the United Nations Charter, which – as noted by the World Court in its Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons – makes even threatening to use nuclear weapons a war crime.

This is also particularly worrisome because – as documented in
Towards a World War III Scenario, by Michel Chossudovsky –  the U.S. is so enamored with nuclear weapons that it has authorized low-level field commanders to use them in the heat of battle in their sole discretion … without any approval from civilian leaders.

(2) Depleted uranium. The use of depleted uranium can cause cancer and birth defects for decades (see this, this, this, this, this, this and this).

(3) Landmines.

(4) Cluster bombs.

(5) Napalm, which is banned under Protocol III of the 1980 UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

(6) Expanding hollow-point bullets, banned under the 1868 St. Petersburg declaration.

(7) Herbicides, like Agent Orange in Vietnam.

 

THE IDIOT WHO WROTE THE ARTICLE IS JUST THAT, AN IDIOT.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 12:09 | 6487328 Polymarkos
Polymarkos's picture

At least 25 of you are TOTAL FUCKING MORONS like 'fuck you' boy.

 

It's a sure sign you don't have to do the fighting, otherwise you'd think differently about these things.

 

All this 'high mindedness' and 'morality' vanishes when it's YOUR ASS on the line. Suddenly mines and cluster munitions and napalm are GOOD THINGS you wish you had MORE OF.

 

Instead, all you armchair fuckwits wanna cry about the big bad icky naughty weapons...you are gutless wankers with no grasp on reality.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 11:00 | 6484561 litemine
litemine's picture

Fuck You and all you have spawned

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 12:06 | 6487323 Polymarkos
Polymarkos's picture

No, FUCK YOU FOR THE TOTAL MORON YOU ARE.

 

CHOKE AND DIE.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 08:45 | 6486823 Arnold
Arnold's picture

The blue helmets terrify me almost as much as clowns.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 10:01 | 6484427 Reaper
Reaper's picture

Exceptional lawyers wearing military uniforms provide the Exceptional soldiers with an updated defense from "I was just obeying orders" to "I was just obeying the rules, as they are written."

Which god proclaimed this army or its rules exceptional?

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 01:07 | 6486498 Crassus
Crassus's picture

Our enemies know us for what we are, our friends now know us for what we have become. Should we need to build another coalitian with NATO, gulf states et al, how will we defend this? I'd rather try to sell the Unabomber Manifesto.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 09:48 | 6484411 Crassus
Crassus's picture

And, like the bible, it contradicts itself to allow commanders great latitude and a plausible defense against prosecution. It's an embarrassment that will not stand any legal, political or moral test.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 12:45 | 6484828 Things that go bump
Things that go bump's picture

Only the losers get tried for crimes agaist humanity. The winners get to write the history to suit themselves.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 19:56 | 6485899 Reaper
Reaper's picture

All trials are rigged. The fantasy of mankind is justice.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 21:37 | 6486115 conscious being
conscious being's picture

Look into the original 100 man juries in ancient Athens. Athens had a thriving business built up around jurisprudence back in the day. Disputes from all over the ancient Greek world, the Mediterranean and Black Seas, Egypt, etc. were settled in Athens where the juries were considered uncoruptable due to the size of each jury, 100 men and the Athenian ethics. For hundreds of years, the consensus was that you could get justice in Athens.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 09:26 | 6486880 Reaper
Sat, 08/29/2015 - 09:21 | 6484359 RagnarRedux
Sat, 08/29/2015 - 09:17 | 6484349 Racer
Racer's picture

"we’re not the rogue nation that the rest of the world thinks we are."

Not thinks, KNOWS!

 

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 08:47 | 6484321 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

Joseph P. Farrell has written that high level Nazis escaped Germany after the war. He wrote that many of them came to the U.S. (Many of us know about Operation Paperclip). Farrell claims that these people have continued to push their Nazi agenda using stolen loot from the war. He also claims that they have shaped the way America is today. I used to think Farrell's ideas were 'kooky'. - - I don't think that way any longer. There's something very wrong in America today.

Sat, 08/29/2015 - 22:40 | 6486024 palmereldritch
palmereldritch's picture

Love Joseph Farrell's stuff.  But you have to look above and beyond this level that he has chronicled to the real source of da Nile

Babylon (in all actually: Sumer)

[translation: less effect, more cause]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idDJfvylN-E

EDIT: @ 5:40 here for more specificity on consideration of the above comment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ2_RKTe01w

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!