General Dan Keen, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, had just watched a video in which six Democratic lawmakers publicly called on US military personnel to refuse illegal orders. He then asked Major General Wiedemann, the Chief Legal Advisor of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about how to determine whether an order is legal and what a commander should do if the order is illegal—the latest requirements are what? Wiedemann replied that if there is doubt about the legality of an order, one should consult a legal advisor. But ultimately, if they determine that an order is indeed illegal, they should consider applying for retirement. This shows how high-ranking US military officials view an issue that has been escalating recently. In recent weeks, members of Congress and legal experts have repeatedly questioned the legality of US military operations against drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific—this includes a strict review of a "second strike" operation on September 2nd that intentionally killed survivors. Keen is not in the chain of command, but he is closely involved in various military operations, including those under the Southern Command. He is often tasked with reporting military plans to the President, more frequently than Hedges.
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Original: toutiao.com/article/1852002415431689/
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