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White House throws commanding admiral under the bus in killing of alleged drug boat survivors (www.huffpost.com)
submitted 8 months ago by to c/politics@lemmy.world
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Press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the apparent war crime was legal even as she said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth knew nothing about it.

The White House on Monday shifted the blame for killing the survivors of a U.S. military strike on an alleged drug smuggling boat from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and onto the commanding admiral.

Killing survivors of a destroyed vessel is literally an example of a war crime in the U.S. Department of Defense Law of War Manual. “For example, orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal,” the manual reads.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, nevertheless, repeatedly stated that it was legal – even as she further claimed, as Donald Trump did Sunday, that Hegseth was unaware that it had happened.

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[–] 58 points 8 months ago (2 children)

So we went from denial, to it happened but it wasn't us...

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  • [–] 30 points 8 months ago*

    The Narcissist’s Prayer:

    That didn't happen.
    And if it did, it wasn't that bad.
    And if it was, that's not a big deal.
    And if it is, that's not my fault. <— we are here
    And if it was, I didn't mean it.
    And if I did, you deserved it.

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  • [–] 24 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    I think we're currently in the phase where it's rapidly undulating between both takes.

    Give it another week and it'll devolve into "what firing on shipwrecked people? What are you talking about? Lalalala, I can't hear you!"

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