1A 'If You Can Keep It': The US, Iran, And War Crimes
Apr 6, 2026
Missy Ryan, Pentagon and State Department reporter; Scott Anderson, former State Dept. legal advisor now at Brookings; Oona Hathaway, Yale international law professor. They debate labeling strikes as war crimes. They discuss legal frameworks governing use of force, targeting civilian infrastructure, dual-use dilemmas, institutional rollbacks in military law advice, investigations, and how rhetoric shapes assessments of intent.
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Center Of Excellence Built After ISIS Then Dismantled
- The Pentagon's Civilian Protection Center of Excellence was created after heavy civilian casualties in the fight against ISIS.
- Missy Ryan recounts it was dismantled under Pete Hegseth, removing cross-service best-practice sharing on avoiding civilian harm.
Mistakes Can Still Be War Crimes If Reckless
- Calling a deadly strike a 'mistake' doesn't end legal scrutiny because avoidable recklessness can amount to a war crime.
- Oona Hathaway says failure to verify targets or review patterns of life could turn errors into criminal liability.
Dual Use Targets Demand Careful Proportionality
- Dual-use targets require weighing military advantage against civilian harm and can be legally permissive but still constrained.
- Scott Anderson emphasizes the need for transparent processes and ex-post review to justify strikes on dual-use objects.