"Today, Serbian and Croatian war criminals convicted of massacring Bosnian Muslims are serving their sentences in prisons across Europe after the ICTY at the Hague closed."

As are the Bosniak Muslims who similarly committed crimes.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're a relatively untraveled New Yorker. I have an apartment in Tirana, Albania. My best friend, an Albanian, spent 15 years working for KFOR in Kosovo. His wife is a Bosnian Muslim. I a few friends we refer to as "Kosovari."

I hate to break it to you champ, but Muslims in the Balkans are very different from your heroes in Hamas or ISIS or whatever. They spend their days drinking Rakia, not planning how to kill infidels. Go check out the Grand Mosque in Durres during prayer time. It's a bunch of dudes in tank tops and backwards-turned hats. Actually, maybe don't do it. I think their lack of Muslimness would only upset you.

"The End state would be like Yugoslavia."

Yugoslavia disintegrated after the death of Josip Broz Tito. A few years before the various countries declared independence and started fighting each other.

You know Yugoslavia no longer exists, right?

"Samaria and Judea" given to the Palestinians like Kosovo was to the KLA."

Like, some sort of partition?

What part would remain Israeli?

"Bomb the ---- out of them."

Just for fun? Or would there be an end-state to accompany that bombing?

"Did they both buy into the silly notion that Trump had their back?"

Does it really matter?

War crimes have no national jurisdiction. Especially those that occur in international waters.

Trump can "pardon" someone and save them from war crimes prosecution in the US, but once that person leaves the US, they are liable under international law.

And I think it's pretty clear that the next administration is not going to be MAGA-friendly. If murder is the charge, there is no statute of limitations.

Every year I spent in the military we had to do LOAC and Geneva Conventions training. Some of the more salient points stressed were that you don't shoot distressed airmen under parachute, and you don't shoot distressed seaman whose ship has been sunk.

For some context, I did counter-drug stuff in this region a few times. I was the deputy director of operations for Joint Task Force-Bravo in Honduras. I also flew quite a few B-52 sorties searching for drug runners. When we found them, we would call the interagency task force, which included the US Coast Guard, French Navy, Netherlands Navy, and whomever else was tasked that day. We never bombed anyone. If the drug boats got froggy, a few rounds from a frigate would solve the problem. But they never got froggy. Ever.

We could plink terrorists in Iraq and Syria with no issue, because they were a potential threat to friendly forces. I don't see how that is the case here. If I were a drone guy right now, I'd be terrified.

Thank you Donnerboy, that was very helpful. I guess some day I am going to have to learn about this AI thing.

"And? The Judge is the law when that Order is issued."

I'm still not clear. Does that mean judges have the right to determine who can legally reside in the US?

Typically, there is a process for gaining tourist status or residency, and a much more extensive process for citizenship. Does this mean a judge can waive all those requirements?

Can you tell me what the status of an illegal immigrant becomes when a judge says they can't be deported?

"Go educate yourself and come back"

The strange thing here, I think you and I are in agreement. I've been posting here since 2005 I think, and I'll probably be doing do for quite a while longer. If I had to make a bet, I would bet that Hegseth will be in prison sometime within the next six years. It's less likely, but not outside the realm of possibility that trump will as well. This isn't really your area of expertise so far as I know, but it is something I've done for a while. The Supreme Court has no say in INL or the GC. It is possible that future administrations would refuse to prosecute either individual, or their subordinates, but they would be tethered to the US forever. And I have a sneaking suspicion that the next administration will want to purge the government of Trumpists in the same way Khruschev purged Stalinists.

"To be perfectly clear. President Piggy has absolute immunity from prosecution for these murders (at least under American law)."

Really?

I mean, I'm not a lawyer, but that's like saying Goering had immunity from the crimes he committed as a member of the greater German Reich.

A movie was just recently released called Nuremburg. I haven't seen it. I don't need to.

#20

Don't thank me. Make you congresspeepul call for an inquiry into why so many western countries dropped bombs on those freedom fighters who bravely fought for the Islamic State.

"Thanks, but We're not quite as bad as ISIS isn't the flex you think it is."

Not really directed at you. More at C0RI0LANUS and his affinity for Jihadists.

"Argh! Stupid Somalis! They're all ISIS! Gargh!"

I wonder if ISIS conducts legal reviews before they go out and commit a terrorist attack...

And I hope this chick is able to figure her ---- out and get back to school as soon as possible. She is a Babson student, which means she has money and is smart. She is one of the ones we need to try and keep in the country.

"This statement came from ICE and you believe it without question?"

Is or is not ICE enforcing US immigration policy? Is it your opinion that they should not be enforcing policy, because that's what it sounds like.

My observation is that a lot of people this country really could use have been deported, and that sucks, but this is a nation of laws. I don't care what the law is, but whatever it is, it needs to be enforced. Even if a judge states that a person without authorization to be in the US can't be deported, then what. They're still here illegally. That doesn't change. It's no different than if someone at passport control at a border entry decided to waive someone through who didn't have valid entry credentials.

I live in Germany under a special status. I must do things to maintain that status. If at any time, Germany could elect to terminate this status, and I'd have 90 days to leave the country. If I were arrested at 91 days and deported, no one in Germany would bat an eyelash. I'm not sure why it is so controversial in the US, other than some weird form of tribalism.

"Were any of the thousands that Obama killed found guilty in a court of law and was the sentence injury or death?"

If you're declared a hostile combatant, the only judgement you're going to get is from the JAG lawyer advising the general on the legality of the strike.

"If you in are not questioning EVERYTHING that comes from this White House (until verified by at least 2 reliable sources) then you haven't been paying attention."

I've been in this business for a long time. The war against ISIS started with Obama, continued through Trump, was handed off to Biden, and handed off again to Trump.

The last time I had any interaction with ISIS in Somalia, Biden was president. Were the actions against ISIS under his administration a bad thing? I never thought so.

ISIS is the only adversary I've ever actually been happy about going after.

"Does that still make it "the US Government"?"

Traditionally, designation of an organization as a terrorist group has been an interagency effort led by State Department.

It does not appear to me that either Trump or Hegseth is aware of the scope of the trouble that may be coming their way.

"They could do the same thing to the Vatican. Doesn't actually make them terrorists."

The designation of cartels is different because it was done through executive order. Which means it can be un-done. Which is yet another reason I think Hegseth and Trump could face prosecution in the future. Its also why Admiral Alvin Holsey, head of US Sothern Command, quit last month. Given the choice, I would take retirement as an Admiral over prison any day.

"President Piggy needs congressional authorization for force"

This is what I think is going to earn Major Pete a prison sentence in 2028. And maybe a few other people.

I can't say for certain, but I don't think I would have followed any of these strike orders without a lawyer standing beside me and signed documentation that the strikes were legal IAW the Genevan Conventions and IHL. Other than ISIS, I never really liked killing anything. I don't even kill bugs. And it may make some people uncomfortable, but I even had a grudging respect for the Taliban. But personal feelings have no place in a conflict. If they do, that's OK, but you need to find another job.

"Cartels aren't terrorists"

They have been declared terrorist organizations by the US government as of 20 Feb 2025. What I don't know is whether or not they have been declared hostile combatants, which would be the next step in approving lethal actions against them.

"Do you believe the same vigorous reviews are happening under Trump and Hegseth?"

When I was doing this, there were expansive legal reviews at multiple levels to ensure that the target was a valid military target and any action against it complied with both the Geneva Conventions and International Humanitarian Law. That legal review would be handed off to the General Officer who would approve or disapprove the strikes. Ultimately, it was that star who would hold responsibility.

And I never was in a situation where the SECDEF personally ordered a strike. I have to make the assumption that the process has not changed all that much since I stopped doing this stuff, but prima facie it looks as if there may not be the type of vetting I did going on anymore.

"Blah blah blahtedy blah"

Do you think this is what a lawyer would say in a trial against Hegseth or anyone involved in the strikes?

Maybe you should just know your place, champ.

"They're not god damned ------- combatants they are innocent Venezuelan citizens in a boat."

They are?

The US Intelligence Community has chosen to share with you the identities of the occupants and contents of the boats that were blown up?

Your security clearance must be higher than mine.

When I was still in the game, most of our targets in Afghanistan were narcotics labs that were linked to funding Anti-Coalition Militias. Read: Taliban.

They were all determined to be legal targets through legal review.

Is someone here suggesting targeting ISIS is a bad thing?

I mean, I don't think 2Zero has ever met a Jihadist they didn't like...but the rest of you???