Washington (United States) (AFP) – US House Democrats introduced six articles of impeachment against Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, accusing him of “high crimes and misdemeanors” including waging war on Iran without congressional approval. The impeachment resolution is led by Yassamin Ansari, a Democratic Congresswoman from Arizona, and has slim chances of passing due to the Republican majority in the House.
Impeachment is the process by which the US House of Representatives brings charges against a government official for alleged wrongdoing, with removal from office only possible if the Senate convicts after a trial. “I’ve introduced Articles of Impeachment against Pete Hegseth for violating his oath, endangering U.S. servicemembers, and committing war crimes, including attacks on civilians and a girls’ school in Minab, Iran,” Ansari wrote on X. “Only Congress can declare war; his actions demand immediate removal.”
The War in the Middle East has sent oil prices soaring and dented Trump’s approval ratings ahead of crucial midterm elections in November. The first impeachment article alleged that Hegseth started the conflict with Iran “without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization by the Congress,” and “knowingly exposing members of the Armed Forces of the United States to substantial and foreseeable risk of injury or death.”
Another article held Hegseth responsible for the strike on an Iranian primary school on February 28 — the day the United States and Israel began bombing Iran — which killed at least 170 people, including students and teachers. The New York Times has reported that the preliminary findings of a US military investigation indicate that a US Tomahawk cruise missile hit the school due to a targeting mistake.
Defense Secretary Hegseth has “authorized, condoned, or failed to prevent the use of military force in a manner inconsistent with the law of armed conflict,” such as the strike on the school, the document read.
The Democrats also criticized Hegseth for so-called “double tap” strikes — hitting targets twice — against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean. They said the double tap strikes were illegal and undermined rules of engagement designed to protect non-combatants. Other allegations included “negligence and reckless handling” of sensitive military information, as well as obstructing congressional oversight, referring to Hegseth’s use of commercial messaging app Signal to discuss strikes on Yemen.
Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told news outlet Axios, “this is just another Democrat trying to make headlines as the Department of War decisively and overwhelmingly achieved the President’s objectives in Iran.”
© 2024 AFP
