The key word in U.S. justifications for the killing of Iranian general: 'Imminent'

Since the death of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike near Baghdad airport on Friday morning, U.S. officials have used careful language to describe an operation that they claim was justified.

The Pentagon on Friday called it a “defensive” action. President Trump said the strike was carried out to “stop a war.” State Department officials bristled at the use of the word “assassination” to describe the operation, saying, “Assassinations are not allowed under law."

But perhaps the most pertinent word used in these narratives, however, is one that some may have glossed over: imminent. It’s worth noting — especially because, in a legal context, it may not mean exactly what the average person thinks it does.

“An imminent threat is what you would need to justify taking an action in self-defense,” said Oona Hathaway, a professor of international law at Yale University and a former national security lawyer in the Defense Department’s Office of General Counsel.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-key-word-in-us-justifications-for-the-killing-of-iranian-general-imminent/ar-BBYDpvs?li=BBnb7Kz