It could go to the Trump thread, I guess, but, in my opinion, its implications are not limited to internal politics.

The 4 pardoned mercenaries were involved in the Nisour square massacre, where 14 Iraqi civilians and police officers were killed, because Blackwater contractors are a bunch of psychopath amateurs. Three of them were in for repeated manslaughter, but the fourth had received a life sentence for first-degree murder. Apart from the tragic cost of lives, the massacre undermined the relations with Baghdad and even forced Blackwater to rename itself to the less tainted Academi.

The lawyers of the criminals shed some tears about how their clients were innocent victims of unbearable circumstances, but the fact remains that 14 Iraqis were massacred for nothing. In all probability, not a single insurgent loitered in close proximity of the incident. So, I really don't see how their case was controversial, even by war-hawk, might makes right, Arabs are subhumans, crusade standards, and why the war-criminals merited any clemency.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...iraq-civilians