The defense secretary has empowered his lawyer Tim Parlatore to remake the judge advocate general’s corpsThe US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is expected in the coming weeks to start a sweeping overhaul of the judge advocate general’s corps as part of an effort to make the US military less restricted by the laws of armed conflict, according to two people familiar with the matter.The changes are poised to have implications across the military, as Hegseth’s office considers changes to the interpretation of the US rules of engagement on the battlefield to the way that charges are brought under the military justice system. Continue reading...
Under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the US military is planning an overhaul of the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps, aiming to relax the rules of war. This includes potentially expanding legal advice to allow more aggressive tactics, taking a more lenient approach to charging soldiers with battlefield crimes, and reinterpreting rules of engagement. Hegseth appointed Tim Parlatore, his personal lawyer, to oversee the effort after firing the former JAG heads. The goal is to restore a "warrior ethos" and address what Hegseth views as overly restrictive interpretations of the laws of armed conflict, though Parlatore has stated he is not pushing to ignore the Geneva Conventions.