Transcript:Pete Hegseth won't have to wait much longer before notching his first officially recognized war atrocity as secretary of defense. Investigators for the Pentagon's Central Command, in charge of all Mideast operations, have determined that U. S. forces were likely culpable in the lethal air strike on a girls' school in Minab, Iran, that killed 175 Iranian civilians, mostly children under 12, two weeks ago. While that reported finding is "preliminary," the Tomahawk missile that hit the school is only being deployed in this conflict by the United States -- and the same weapons were fired the same day at an Iranian base close by. The immediate cause of the tragic incident appears to be faulty targeting based on outdated intelligence data, which may not be directly laid to Hegseth, President Donald Trump and the other reckless planners of the attack on Iran. But the cavalier attitude toward war crimes Hegseth so often expressed before his confirmation -- as well as his glaring lack of fitness, character and competence -- made such an awful disgrace inevitable. That such an atrocity occurred within the first days of the war only underlines the stark warnings against Hegseth's appointment by Senator Angus King, the Maine independent, and Senator Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee and a veteran of the 82nd Airborne. What makes the school bombing even worse are attempts by both Hegseth and Trump to evade responsibility, which reflects their well-documented contempt for the laws of war and American traditions of honor and humanity. Trump has repeatedly and falsely suggested that Iran uses Tomahawk missiles and is probably guilty of firing on its own schoolchildren, while Hegseth has said more than once that unlike the United States, Iran purposely kills civilians, with an obvious implication. The salient issue here is not whether the U. S. purposely blew up the school, of course, but whether directives from the Pentagon and White House increased the chance of such horrors. What cannot be denied is Hegseth's mindless approach to the laws of armed conflict, which he has expressed on countless occasions, in his 2024 book on war, and in the opening days of the Iran war."Our warfighters have maximum authorities granted personally by the president and yours truly," the man who calls himself the "secretary of war" boasted at a Pentagon briefing on March 4 -- four days after the school bombing. "Our rules of engagement are bold, precise and designed to unleash American power, not shackle it."Ignorant as they are arrogant, neither Hegseth nor Trump understands the purpose of the laws of war, nor do they seem aware that the origins of the Geneva Conventions they scorn are wholly American. The first American general to insist that our military treat its enemies with decency was George Washington. And the first president to establish rules governing combat was Abraham Lincoln, with whom Trump has dared to compare himself. Amid the bloodiest battles ever seen on our soil, Lincoln ordered his generals and a German immigrant lawyer named Francis Lieber to formulate a code of conduct for Union troops. Together they wrote a detailed manual, with more than 150 specific regulations, that became known as the "Lieber Code" and formed the basis for the Geneva Conventions more than 80 years later. Instead of upholding those principles, Trump selected Hegseth because he is eager to trash them. And Hegseth has fulfilled that expectation by firing career legal officers who had faithfully upheld those laws, while appointing and promoting figures who share his lawless, careless and despicable attitude. Under this regime, the Minab school bombing as well as the indiscriminate killings of alleged narcotics smugglers at sea were among the most predictable offenses ever committed. It is just as predictable that as this war drags on, we will see more and worse.Our Analysis:A Dissection of Accountability and Misdirection in the Minab School BombingInstitutional Power and Decision-MakingThe article implicates Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, and President Donald Trump in a catastrophic air strike on a girls' school in Minab, Iran, which resulted in the tragic deaths of 175 Iranian civilians, predominantly children. At the core of this situation are two layers of responsibility: the institutional power held by the Pentagon, specifically its Central Command responsible for Mideast operations, and the decision-making process that led to the deployment of the lethal strike.While the Pentagon and its Central Command possess the operational capabilities, the strategic decisions, especially those relating to acts of war, stem directly from the highest echelons of the U. S. government, notably the Secretary of Defense and the President. Therefore, the institutional power dynamic clearly places significant responsibility on Hegseth and Trump, not just for the specific act of ordering the strike but for creating the overarching policy and environment that enabled such a tragedy.Misdirected Framing versus Actual ControlThe article suggests that the "faulty targeting based on outdated intelligence data" may not directly implicate Hegseth and Trump, attempting to diffuse direct blame. However, this stance overlooks the critical role leadership plays in establishing the protocols, rules of engagement, and overall military ethos that dictate operational conduct. The framing here misdirects responsibility by understating the influence and control these leaders have over military operations.Hegseth's and Trump's public disdain for the laws of war and their aggressive stances not only set a dangerous precedent but also directly contribute to an environment where such tragic errors are more likely to occur. Their leadership. or lack thereof. shapes the military's approach to engagement, rules of conflict, and, by extension, the likelihood of civilian casualties. Thus, despite the article's insinuation, these leaders have substantial control and bear considerable responsibility for the outcomes of their policies and directives.False Equivalence and ScapegoatingThe attempts by Trump to falsely suggest Iran's culpability in the attack and Hegseth's misdirection regarding civilian targets further exemplify a troubling disregard for truth and accountability. This behavior not only obscures the real issues at hand but also perpetuates false narratives that distract from the genuine accountability of U. S. leadership in this atrocity.Moreover, blaming outdated intelligence data without addressing the leadership's role in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of such data is a misleading simplification of the problem. It sidesteps the critical issue of whether adequate measures and safeguards were implemented to prevent such a catastrophic outcome. a direct responsibility of the leadership under Hegseth and Trump.Conclusion: The True Culprits Behind the TragedyThe Minab school bombing is a stark illustration of how leadership attitudes, decisions, and policies directly impact military operations and their outcomes. While faulty intelligence may have been the immediate cause, the broader culpability lies with Hegseth and Trump, whose leadership has evidently fostered a reckless disregard for the principles of armed conflict and civilian safety.The article, despite its attempts to dilute direct blame, inadvertently highlights a critical truth: leadership matters. The cavalier attitude toward war crimes and the laws of war, championed by Hegseth and endorsed by Trump, has had devastating real-world consequences. Accountability for this tragedy extends beyond the immediate operational mishap to the very top of the institutional power structure, where the decision to pursue such aggressive and careless policies was made. In the end, the bloodshed in Minab is a direct result of leadership failure. a failure to respect, protect, and value human life in the conduct of war.s

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit paulstsmith.substack.com