April 10, 2019
Gerard Butler’s (click here) last action movie was about Navy SEALs rescuing a kidnapped Russian president to prevent World War III. But the least realistic part may have been when the burly Scottish actor stood before a lectern in the Pentagon’s press briefing room to chat about it in October.
Once a staple of military news coverage, the Pentagon press briefing has become a rare occurrence in the Trump Administration.
In fact, it’s been more than 220 days since former Defense Secretary James Mattis delivered his final televised briefing on Aug. 28, and more than 310 days since former Pentagon chief spokesperson Dana White delivered hers on May 31. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan has never delivered a televised briefing in his role....
There have been many issues as of late regarding military personnel receiving pardons in the face of war crimes.
May 23, 2019
By Ephrat Livin
All is not fair in war. (click here) There are laws that military members must follow and courts that enforce these rules. Nonetheless, ahead of Memorial Day on May 27, US president Donald Trump is reportedly considering pardons for American servicemen accused or convicted of war crimes, including civilian murders.
Many veterans, acutely aware of the fact that Trump is not one of them, are incensed by the reports. “He is a serial draft evader who wants to play general,” Gary Solis, a former military judge and prosecutor, Marine, and Vietnam war veteran, tells Quartz. “This just exhibits the president’s ignorance.”...
Granted Trump is an ignorant man in many ways, however, I believe there is a method to the madness. Why not send a clear signal to that the USA forgives those that commit war crimes?
In another war crimes case, the judge dismissed the prosecutor.
June 4, 2019
San Diego -- A military judge (click here) took the rare step Monday of removing a prosecutor accused of misconduct from the war crimes case of a decorated Navy SEAL.
Capt. Aaron Rugh ordered the lead prosecutor removed from the case of Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher after defense lawyers accused the prosecution of spying on their emails, according to the ruling.
The defense asked Rugh to dismiss the case or remove prosecutors because of the surreptitious effort to track defense emails without court approval in an effort to find the source of news leaks.
Rugh said it was not in his power to determine if Cmdr. Christopher Czaplak violated ethical or professional rules, but the potential for a probe into those actions required that he be removed from the prosecution.
Czaplak received word of the ruling during a deposition while questioning an Iraqi general who is a witness in the case, defense lawyer Tim Parlatore said.
Czaplak left in the middle of the testimony being recorded on video in San Diego for use at the trial. He did not return to the courtroom....
Has there been a communique from Trump to the USA military regarding war crimes and the treatment of those that commit them?
