Dear CCI Friends and Colleagues,
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gave a brief presentation in the oval office recently where he spoke of renaming the Department of Defence. Henceforth, it is to be the Department of War. Mr. Hegseth enthusiastically endorsed the name change and, in truth, offensive as it may seem, his honesty is welcome. We may now officially drop any illusions we might have had that our military consists of citizen soldiers with a duty to defend the USA. They are now officially acknowledged as global ‘war fighters.’
Further, Hegseth defines the purpose of his department as “maximum lethality, minimum tepid legality.” Presumably he wants us to join him and celebrate backsliding into barbarity. Let us consider the consequences.
Most of us who favor peace prefer the rule of law to the ruthlessness of war when it comes to dispute resolution. Ellen Tracy, who traveled to Russia with CCI in 2016, writes of the critical importance of respect for the law in the article below. Her observations and analysis are insightful, beautifully articulate and steeped in history.
“The Importance of International Law to Human Survival”
https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/06/03/war-crimes-from-nuremberg-to-ukraine/
I have just recently made Ellen’s acquaintance, thanks to the internet, and I am very happy to reprint her piece. I hope you will give it your thoughtful attention.
Sincerely,
Paula Day
Center for Citizen Initiatives