Pete Hegseth argues that the US should ignore the Geneva Conventions and says: “If you love America, you must love Israel” in controversial books
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, has attacked several US strategic alliances, such as NATO, allied countries such as Turkey, and international institutions such as the United Nations, in two recent books. He also argued that US troops should not be limited by the Geneva Conventions.
At the same time, the man who could lead the American armed forces has linked US foreign policy almost entirely to the priority of Israel, a country that, according to him, “if you love America, you should love Israel”.
Hegseth also argues that the U.S. military should ignore the Geneva Conventions and other international laws governing the conduct of war, proposing to “liberate” it to become a “ruthless,” “uncompromising,” and “extremely lethal” force. focused on “winning our wars under our own rules”.
His policy preferences raise concerns about the future of NATO, rising tensions with Israel’s main foe, Iran, and impunity for U.S. war criminals like those Hegseth persuaded Trump to pardon during his first term.
Tom Hill, executive director of the Center for Peace and Diplomacy (CPD), told The Guardian that Hegseth’s appointment reflects the influence of the evangelical Christian nationalist movement, an important base of Trump’s support.
“Hegseth is offering an Israel-centered foreign policy as a reward for this Christian nationalist base,” Hill said.
“Europe has already allowed itself to be invaded”
Although Hegseth was in the past a foreign policy hawk aligned with neoconservatism, since what he calls his “conversion to Trump” he has been harshly critical of multilateral institutions.
In the book American Crusade (AC), published in 2020, Hegseth asks: “Why do we fund the UN, which is anti-American? Why is Islamic Turkey a member of NATO?”
Hegseth criticizes the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), sent to Afghanistan by the UN Security Council in 2006, based on his experience in the country. He describes: “In my camouflage uniform, I wore an American flag on one shoulder and the ISAF badge on the other. The joke among American troops in Afghanistan was that ISAF stood for ‘I Saw Americans Fighting.’
He also characterizes NATO allies as not paying their fair share: “NATO is not an alliance; it is a defense arrangement for Europe, paid for and supported by the United States.”
Hegseth links his criticism of NATO to apocalyptic narratives about immigration in Europe, writing: “Europe has already allowed itself to be invaded. It chose not to rebuild its armies, preferring to depend on America’s commitment to actually fighting and winning wars.”
He is particularly critical of Turkey’s inclusion in NATO, arguing that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “openly dreams of restoring the Ottoman Empire” and is “an Islamist with Islamist views for the Middle East.”
“The defense of Europe is not our problem; we’ve been there, done that, twice,” Hegseth writes. “NATO is a relic and should be dismantled and remade for freedom to be truly defended. That’s what Trump is fighting to achieve.”
Regarding the UN, he claims to be “a globalist organization that aggressively promotes an anti-American, anti-Israel and anti-freedom agenda.”
“If you love America, you should love Israel”
Hegseth sees the UN as biased against Israel, reflecting his deep commitment to the country, often expressed in religious terms. In BC, he compares support for Israel to the renewal of the medieval crusades, stating: “Our current moment is very similar to the 11th century. We do not want to fight, but, like our Christian brothers a thousand years ago, we must. We need an American crusade.”
Hegseth continues: “We Christians – along with our Jewish friends and their remarkable army in Israel – need to unapologetically take up the sword of Americanism and defend ourselves.”
He concludes: “Faith, family, freedom and free markets; if you love it, learn to love the state of Israel. And find an arena to fight for it.”
“Break the will of the enemy”
In the book The War on Warriors (2024), Hegseth argues that US forces should ignore the Geneva Conventions. He writes: “If our warriors are forced to follow arbitrary rules and sacrifice more lives to make international courts feel good, aren’t we better off winning our wars under our own rules?!”
Hegseth concludes: “If we are going to send our men to fight – and they must be men – we need to free them to win. They need to be the most ruthless. The most uncompromising. The most lethal.”
He also advocated pardons for American soldiers accused or convicted of war crimes, stating that “when our soldiers make mistakes, they should be given the benefit of the doubt.”
With information from The Guardian*
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2024/11/25/indicado-de-trump-para-o-pentagono-ataca-otan-e-onu/
