Hegseth says it’s stupid to have rules of engagement. Yeah, man! Let’s bring back war crimes! We miss those! Remember My Lai? We laughed ourselves sick! Pass the doobie!

Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth’s dismissal on Monday of what he called “stupid rules of engagement” in the illegal war against Iran amounted to an invitation for American and allied forces to commit war crimes, human rights organizations and other critics warned.

Hegseth’s remarks came during a press conference alongside the top US general, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine. The Pentagon chief boasted that the US is “unleashing the most lethal and precise air power campaign in history,” “all on our terms with maximum authorities,” unbound by “stupid rules of engagement,” and undeterred by “what so-called international institutions say”.

Right. Let’s have 2, 4, eleventy seven Babi Yars.

Hegseth, an accused war criminal who successfully lobbied President Donald Trump to pardon alleged or convicted war criminals during his first White House term, also praised Israel for its willingness to dispense with rules of engagement, “unlike so many of our traditional allies who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force.”

Seriously, isn’t it just so wimpy and boring and politically correct to refrain from massacring civilians in their thousands? Get in there and show them who’s boss! Donald Trump, that’s who!

Hegseth has previously derided limitations on US troops’ conduct overseas as “stupid.” During remarks to hundreds of generals last year, the Pentagon chief declared that we “untie the hands of our warfighters to intimidate, demoralize, hunt, and kill the enemies of our country.”

“We unleash overwhelming and punishing violence on the enemy,” Hegseth said at the time. “No more politically correct and overbearing rules of engagement.”

Clear enough yet? He wants mass murder. He can’t wait to slaughter civilians.