American War Crimes
The armed forces of the United States of America have committed war crimes at certain times throughout their history. Most - but not all - contemporary war crimes are defined by the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Geneva Conventions, and the associated laws of war under international law. War crimes can be prosecuted through the War Crimes Act of 1996 in the United States, but the US government does not accept the jurisdiction of the ICC over its military forces. United States violations of the laws of war falling under the rubric of jus in bello are discussed in the present article, while US violations of jus ad bellum, such as crimes against peace or wars of aggression under the Nuremberg Principles, are discussed elsewhere.
Read more about American War Crimes: Philippine–American War, Vietnam War, Yugoslavia, War On Terror
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—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
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—Jane Mayer, U.S. journalist, and Jill Abramson b. 1954, U.S. journalist. Strange Justice, p. 8, Houghton Mifflin (1994)
“Some crimes get honor and renown by being committed with more pomp, by a greater number, and in a higher degree of wickedness than others. Hence it is that public robberies, plunderings, and sackings have been looked upon as excellencies and noble achievements, and the seizing of whole countries, however unjustly and barbarously, is dignified with the glorious name of gaining conquests.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)