DOJ: 'Just Following Orders' is an Ironclad Defense For Trump's Boat Strikes, Maybe
The Independent reports that 'experts doubt' a DOJ memo can truly shield troops from prosecution for striking suspected drug boats, on Trump's orders. The 'just following orders' defense, a concept largely discredited since Nuremberg, is apparently back in vogue when the US government wants it to be. One might wonder about the timing, given the parade of global 'interventions' that routinely blur
the lines of engagement. This isn't about prosecuting a former President; it's about legitimizing future actions that skirt international law, under the flimsy pretext of presidential whim. So, the next time a US-backed operation leads to civilian casualties or questionable tactics abroad, remember this memo. The 'rule of law' seems to be a flexible concept, one that bends gracefully to
Washington's political whims, especially when it involves maintaining geopolitical 'order' or, in this case, a former President’s impulsive directives. Apparently, the only thing more malleable than international law is the American public's memory.