Ben Wallace"s controversial war crime bill change for SAS protection

Former Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace is under scrutiny for a change made to the Overseas Operations Bill, which aimed to protect British troops from war crimes prosecutions. Originally, the bill proposed a 10-year cut-off for such protections, but this was reduced to five years, which now encompasses allegations against the SAS related to operations in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2013. These allegations include extrajudicial killings, and a public inquiry is currently investigating these claims, led by Lord Justice Haddon-Cave. Concerns have been raised by former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, who questioned the timing of the amendment, suggesting it was troubling that the change occurred while the government was aware of potential war crimes allegations against the SAS. The inquiry into the SAS operations has revealed that crucial video evidence may have been lost, further complicating the situation and raising doubts about the government's motivations for altering the bill's provisions. The bill was designed to prevent what the government termed 'vexatious' legal claims against military personnel, but the amendments have sparked fears that the UK could face international scrutiny for failing to prosecute its forces for serious crimes. The House of Lords has repeatedly sent the bill back to the Commons due to concerns over its implications for international law and the potential for intervention by the International Criminal Court. Legal representatives for bereaved Afghan families have expressed serious concerns regarding the implications of the bill and the decision-making process behind the amendments. They argue that the changes could undermine accountability for military actions and highlight the need for transparency in the handling of war crimes allegations against UK forces.