Is Trump threatening to commit a war crime?published at 03:42 BST
03:42 BST
Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent
US President Donald Trump’s threat to blow up electricity plants, oil wells and water desalination plants in Iran could amount to a threat to commit potential war crimes, according to international treaties and conventions on the laws of war.
The deliberate destruction of energy infrastructure could have a devastating effect on civilian life – even if the plants are also argued to have a military or government purpose.
Luis Moreno Ocampo, founding chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) – to which neither the US nor Iran are party – told me that Trump’s bombing of Iranian power plants, as well as attacks by both Iran and Israel on energy infrastructure, would not amount to legitimate targets.
Under the Rome Statute, established by the court, “intentionally directing attacks at civilian objects… which are not military objectives” is a war crime, Moreno Ocampo said.
Trump has previously said he doesn’t “need international law” and is guided by his “own morality”.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about this issue of potential war crimes last week and rejected the notion.
“Of course, this administration and the United States armed forces will
always act within the confines of the law. But with respect to achieving the
full objectives of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump is going to move
forward unabated. And he expects the Iranian regime to make a deal
with the administration.”
You can read more on this issue here: Iran war shows norms of international conflicts have been overturned.