Just comes off like a puffed-up pigeon strutting around the stage, trying to cover up his own insecurities. The true great military leaders dont act like this. Even Patton, who has that kind of reputation, was far more thoughtful. On the journey to invade North Africa, Patton took the time to study the Quran, to better understand the people of the land he was to fight over.
I doubt Hegseth even knows what it means to give quarter, probably just said it because he thought it sounded tough
That's not limited to "great military leaders". Even ordinary military leaders do not commit war crimes aloud, on their own web sites.
And trying to avoid complicity via "I'm not a criminal, I am merely ignorant of my job" is also not the mark of somebody with even faint pretensions to competence.
I doubt Hegseth even knows what it means to give quarter, probably just said it because he thought it sounded tough