[Retric]

They where also tried and convicted by the US government, Trump pardoning them was a political stunt. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_granted_executi...

[roenxi]

They were sent to Iraq by the US military, presumably protected from Iraqi justice by the presence of the US military, and then they were pardoned for their horrific crimes by the head of the US military.

The 'oh they're private contractors, nothing to do with the US military here!' line doesn't really fit.