In the letter signed by Democratic senators, politicians point to reports of civilian casualties from the war, as well as attacks on schools and hospitals. The authors assessed that all these cases were avoidable tragedies. They also recalled the Pentagon's decision to cut cuts in offices responsible for protecting civilians and the statements of Hegseth himself.
“These statements harm civilians.”
“This is a disturbing pattern that raises questions about the administration's compliance with international law and the law of armed conflict. We are also concerned that your leadership further undermines the credibility of our armed forces, increasing threats to both civilians and U.S. troops,” the authors wrote.
“In the first week of the war, you said it would be waged without stupid rules of engagement. You declared there would be no mercy for our enemies. These statements not only harm civilians and undermine established standards, but also expose American soldiers to greater risk of reciprocity and undermine order and discipline,” Democrats accused the secretary.
Senators demand answers from the head of the Pentagon on a number of issues, including: about the actual number of civilian victims of the conflict and the number of those caused by US actions. Politicians also want to know the background of the liquidation of the unit responsible for avoiding civilian casualties, including the critical opinions and warnings expressed by Ministry of Defense officials on this matter.
The Pentagon has repeatedly said it is investigating attacks on schools, including an all-girls school on the first day of the war, that killed children. So far, the ministry has not published any results of these investigations.
