Journalist David Rohde reported Pentagon lawyers were prepared to refuse approval of target lists involving war crimes had the Pakistan-brokered Iran ceasefire not been announced shortly before President Donald Trump's deadline threatening civilization destruction.
Rohde told MSNBC's Jonathan Lemire that military and former military lawyers were committed to resisting orders to approve targets including bridges and power stations.
Rohde characterized the war as a test of democratic war-fighting principles, stating the U.S. military does not intentionally commit war crimes. He acknowledged civilians were killed and mistakes made but emphasized the military maintains ethical standards. Rohde suggested the administration was "testing and flirting" with war crime violations.
The timely ceasefire announcement averted what would have become a significant institutional confrontation between Pentagon legal authorities and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over target approval.
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