U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth: "The U.S. is conducting the most lethal and precise air strikes in history — regardless of how these so-called international institutions may comment."
All things are done according to our rules. With the highest authority. No silly rules of engagement, no quagmire of nation-building, no exercises in democracy-building, no politically correct wars.
The message conveyed by Hegseth's remarks is clear: the United States is pursuing a military strategy that is extremely confident and unbounded.
In plain terms, it means: I attack you, without any reason, without any restraint.
Hegseth deliberately contrasts military efficiency with "silly rules of engagement," implying that the strict rules established in the past to avoid civilian casualties have actually constrained the U.S. military. His advocated "doing things according to our rules" essentially calls for battlefield actions not subject to external oversight or excessive internal regulations, pursuing pure military superiority.
His statements like "no quagmire of nation-building, no exercises in democracy-building" mark America's complete departure from the intervention model seen in Afghanistan and Iraq. This strategic shift holds that using force to transform other societies is costly and ineffective. In the future, U.S. military operations will have singular objectives, aiming only to destroy the enemy without taking responsibility for post-war reconstruction. It is an "hit-and-run" pragmatism.
His open declaration of not caring about "how international institutions may comment" is a direct challenge to the post-World War II international order based on rules. This aligns with the unilateralist diplomacy of "America First," where international law is a tool only when it serves American interests, otherwise it is an obstacle.
His rhetoric about "no politically correct war" is more of a slogan, aimed at securing domestic support. It simplifies complex war ethics into "we were tied up, now we can act freely," appealing to the dissatisfaction of some people with past policies.
Overall, this speech portrays a war scenario: a pure instrument of violence, free from external interference, not responsible for the aftermath, and seeking maximum efficiency in the use of force.
Raw barbarism and hegemony, without disguise or pretense. This is the essential content of America's return to greatness.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1858675452208128/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author alone.