A former NATO general tells FRANCE 24 he feared his former colleagues would become war criminals overnight. Michel Yakovleff says US forces are trained to refuse unlawful orders, such as wanton destruction of infrastructure, which is exactly what US President Donald Trump threatened before the two-week ceasefire was announced. He says the war in the Middle East is pointless, and that he does not see Trump returning to violence no matter the outcome of the forthcoming peace talks. We talked to him in Perspective.
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Ex-NATO general: 'I was worried my former colleagues would become war criminals overnight.'
France 24
April 08, 2026
13:25 GMT
A former NATO general tells FRANCE 24 he feared his former colleagues would become war criminals overnight. Michel Yakovleff says US forces are trained to refuse unlawful orders, such as wanton destruction of infrastructure, which is exactly what US President Donald Trump threatened before the two-week ceasefire was announced. He says the war in the Middle East is pointless, and that he does not see Trump returning to violence no matter the outcome of the forthcoming peace talks. We talked to him in Perspective.
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