Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: US Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper has called American military justice system affective following President Donald Trump’s decision of pardoning three war crimes cases of the US military officers.
In respond to a question in a joint press news with South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, Esper said, “I have great faith in the military justice system, our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are trained from day one about the laws of armed conflict and how to conduct themselves during wartime.”
The two of the military officers that have been granted pardon by Trump were accused of killing civilians in Afghanistan.
However, Esper and other top military officials have informed Trump that his interference the military judicial system would partially damage the ability of military larders to ensure discipline.
Meanwhile, the opponents believed that pardoning military personnel, who have committed war crimes by President Trump, would make the military judicial system accountable.
To make sure the military war criminal are held accountable, Esper said that US service members “conduct themselves professionally in accordance with (the law) and if they don’t then the United States military will take action in accordance with the (Uniform Code of Military Justice).”
Also, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said, “President is part of the military justice system as the Commander-in-Chief and has the authority to weigh in on matters of this nature.”
Trump’s move of pardoning military war crimes cases has faced serious criticism by a number of Afghan elites, saying that the killers of Afghan people should be held accountable.
