> Shouldn't a person's status as a war criminal depend on whether they've actually been charged, tried, convicted, and sentenced?
The US doesn't recognize or allow jurisdiction by international organisations that try for war crimes, such as the ICC.
So if we're going to follow your definition, US politicians would be immune to war criminal status.
> Depending on the situation, one could point such a charge at any person who was in a position of authority in a government of a nation that was fighting a war, if one were so inclined.
Not really. It's entirely possible to wage war without committing war crimes. In fact that's part of the reason why the term even exists as defined by the Geneva Conventions and the ICC.
Regardless, the US has committed war crimes in the "War on Terror". The following link lists a couple of situations and events that have factually happened and fall under the definition.
The US doesn't recognize or allow jurisdiction by international organisations that try for war crimes, such as the ICC.
So if we're going to follow your definition, US politicians would be immune to war criminal status.
> Depending on the situation, one could point such a charge at any person who was in a position of authority in a government of a nation that was fighting a war, if one were so inclined.
Not really. It's entirely possible to wage war without committing war crimes. In fact that's part of the reason why the term even exists as defined by the Geneva Conventions and the ICC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_crimes
Regardless, the US has committed war crimes in the "War on Terror". The following link lists a couple of situations and events that have factually happened and fall under the definition.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_war_crimes#.22Wa...
Then there's Condoleeza Rice's role in this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condoleeza_Rice#Role_in_author...