Ex-NATO general: 'I was worried my former colleagues would become war criminals overnight.'

AFP / France 24
April 8, 2026
2 min read

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A former NATO general feared his colleagues would become war criminals by following potentially unlawful orders from President Trump.

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Ex-NATO general Michel Yakovleff told FRANCE 24 he feared his former colleagues would become war criminals overnight following threats made by US President Donald Trump. Yakovleff explained that US forces are trained to refuse unlawful orders, such as the wanton destruction of infrastructure, which President Trump had threatened before a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East was announced. He believes the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is pointless. Yakovleff stated he does not anticipate President Trump will return to violence regardless of the outcome of forthcoming peace talks.

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