The US Department of Defense has opened a case against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly. Accordingly, the ministry is considering a reduction in the retired rank of the senator. In addition, a formal censure has been issued, which should be permanently recorded in Kelly’s military personnel file, the defense minister said Pete Hegseth with.
The background is a video published in November by six Democratic members of Congress in which relatives of the US military to be called upon to issue, from their point of view, illegal orders in connection with international controversial US military operations against suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean not to be followed. Kelly had called for an investigation into the operations and publicly criticized Hegseth.
US soldiers must refuse unlawful orders
Hegseth accuses the senatorfor calling on soldiers to disobey orders. Kelly had violated the Military Penal Code, which criminalizes disorderly conduct by an officer and breaches of good order and discipline, the minister claimed. US President Donald Trump accused the Democratic MPs of seditious behavior after the video was published. He wrote that the action could be punished with death, but later qualified his statements.
In principle, the following applies in the USA: Soldiers – especially commanding officers – have the duty to refuse orders if they come to the conclusion that they are illegal. Conversely, they face severe consequences if they refuse an order that turns out to be lawful.
Kelly invokes the US Constitution
Kelly again denied the allegations. After the case against him became known, the senator spoke on social networks of a “politically motivated attack” and said he had never called for disobeying lawful orders. His aim was to remind soldiers of their duty to comply with international law. Criticism of military operations and the leadership of the Defense Department is covered by the constitution, Kelly wrote. The “most unqualified defense minister in the history of our country” could not intimidate him.
Kelly served in the U.S. Navy as a fighter pilot, before he became an astronaut. The US Democrat was been considered one of the possible vice presidents of presidential candidate Kamala Harris. He campaigns against the gun lobby and represents the important swing state of Arizona.
Several states, non-governmental organizations and also US politicians have always taken part in the US missions in the Caribbean in recent months criticized again. The US government justifies attacks on boats in the Caribbean, in which more than 110 people were killed, with the alleged fight against drug crime.
