Retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner isn’t some random talking head — he’s a two‑star Army general who spent over 35 years in uniform, served as Acting Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau at the Pentagon, helped command U.S. forces in Kuwait during the Iraq drawdown, and led the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s efforts against nuclear and chemical weapons. When that guy hears Pete Hegseth talk about “no quarter, no mercy” and calls it “the words of a potential war criminal,” we should listen.