Trump Pentagon pick attacks UN and Nato and urges US to ignore Geneva conventions

[groundloop]

Source: The Guardian

Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, has attacked several key US alliances such as Nato, allied countries such as Turkey and international institutions such as the United Nations in two recent books, as well as saying US troops should not be bound by the Geneva conventions.

At the same time, the man who would head America’s gigantic military has tied US foreign policy almost entirely to the priority of Israel, a country of which he says: “If you love America, you should love Israel.”

Elsewhere, Hegseth appears to argue that the US military should ignore the Geneva conventions and any international laws governing the conduct of war, and instead “unleash them” to become a “ruthless”, “uncompromising” and “overwhelmingly lethal” force geared to “winning our wars according to our own rules”.

Hegseth’s policy preferences may raise concerns about the future of Nato, the escalation of tensions with Israel’s arch-foe Iran, and impunity for US war criminals, such as those who Hegseth persuaded Trump to pardon in his first term.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/25/pete-hegseth-book-attacks-nato-alliances

[Midnight Writer]

1. This "tough guy" stance will dissolve in the face of aggression from Russia or China.

He is a blowhard and a bully who will fold when confronted with a real crisis.

Another "kiss up, kick down" conservative.

[Miguelito Loveless]

3. He will welcome conflict

with both, since it will give them more leeway for extreme "emergency" measures.

[NotHardly]

17. I'm stealing this, "Another "kiss up, kick down" conservative".

[Midnight Writer]

19. Feel free. I nicked it from someone else.

[BComplex]

21. Trump and (nazi) friends will welcome such "aggression", as it will be the trump administration that

has been setting us up for it. Trump is a russian operative, and always has been.

But they also want a civil war, and trump has pushed for that, too, and wants to turn the military against American citizens. What we'll see is how many military will agree to it. I'm afraid a lot of them will.

[Dave Bowman]

2. What a crazy nightmare.

[jimfields33]

10. The nightmare is who does trump really want in that seat.

Like Gaetz, Pete will drop out and trump will put in who he really wants and they will sail through like Pam Bondi.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. And I thought Donald Rumsfeld was bad.

[k55f5r]

11. At least he was a known unknown.

[liberalgunwilltravel]

5. This cretin needs immediate attention

The IC community needs to put a stop to this cretin right now. He's a fricking christian nationalist Nazi hellbent on destroying America.

[Lovie777]

6. The enemies as well as the allies seeing the in coming US administration shooting itself in the foot...................

but alas, we the US citizens will suffer.

[shotten99]

7. It's time to act: contact your senators now

Dear Senator NAME,
I am writing as your constituent to express my strong opposition to the potential nomination of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. This critical position demands a leader with deep expertise in defense strategy, demonstrated nonpartisan leadership, and significant management experience in overseeing complex military operations. I believe Pete Hegseth does not meet these essential qualifications, and I urge you to scrutinize this nomination closely.
While I respect Mr. Hegseth’s military service, I am deeply concerned about his lack of the professional experience and expertise required to lead the Department of Defense effectively. Specifically:
1. Lack of Relevant Experience: The Secretary of Defense is responsible for overseeing the nation’s armed forces, implementing defense policies, and managing a multi-billion-dollar budget. Mr. Hegseth’s background as a media personality and his limited military command experience do not align with the expertise required for such a complex and vital role.
2. Partisan Bias: Mr. Hegseth’s prominent political and media engagements suggest a highly partisan perspective, which could hinder his ability to unify the armed forces and serve as a neutral arbiter in defense matters. This partisanship risks undermining trust in civilian leadership within the Department of Defense.
3. Need for Transparency: To ensure a thorough evaluation of his qualifications, I request that Congress demand the release of Mr. Hegseth’s military personnel record (DD214) and any relevant evaluations or training records. A full review of his service record is critical to understanding his leadership experience, decision-making capabilities, and adherence to military standards.
Given the complexity of global security challenges, it is imperative that the Secretary of Defense be a proven leader with a deep understanding of military operations, strategy, and diplomacy. Mr. Hegseth’s nomination does not inspire confidence in his ability to effectively oversee the Pentagon or navigate these pressing issues.
I respectfully urge you to oppose this nomination and advocate for a qualified and experienced individual to lead the Department of Defense. Our national security depends on the appointment of leaders who prioritize the interests of our armed forces and the American people over partisan or personal agendas.
Thank you for your continued service to YOUR STATE and your commitment to safeguarding our nation’s values and security. I trust you will bring the necessary scrutiny to this critical nomination.

[groundloop]

14. Yes, and thanks for the template.

I'd probably have been a lot less diplomatic and written something like:

"Hegseth is a fucking idiot, don't vote for him."

[shotten99]

15. He's dangerously incompetent to put it mildly.

I’ve got time to inundate congressional Republicans with letters. I’m more than happy to make a load of templates if people want to use them.

[ancianita]

18. Directories

https://www.house.gov/representatives

https://www.senate.gov/senators/

[Biophilic]

8. Damn, this guy just gets worse and worse.

[nowforever]

9. Waiting to see

All those massive student protests now that Trump and his administration will applaud and encourage the decimation of the Palestinian people.

[Magoo48]

12. The butter is completely off this guy's noodles. The military will face massive responsibilities to our constitution.

We resist.

[GB_RN]

13. Ignore The Geneva Conventions?!?!

Yeah, sure. I don’t foresee any problems with that. 🙄🤦?♂️

I knew Hegseth was out there, but had no idea he was certifiably insane.

[Mustellus]

16. Between Abu Garaib (2004) and Bowie Bergdahl (2009)...

.. basically no captured American service man was returned alive. Rumors were they had their eyeballs
and kneecaps drilled out and ......

If you do as Jesus taught, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This is the fullfillment of the law,
the prophets, and the Geneva Conventions", there really is no guarantee the other guys will reciprocate.

If you do as Hegseth teaches, in the Gospel of Hoo-Haaaa, its almost certain the other side will follow your lead. We know
Bergdahl must have cooperated, since they didn't torture and kill him.

Teaching in an Air Force school during that time, I'd tell my students to keep the last bullet for themselves.

[Javaman]

20. he seems nice.

[ificandream]

22. He's doing just what Putin wants him to do.