MDD1: Actually, Avner was punished for his passiveness in allowing them to be killed. Please see Sanhedrin 20.
Even though there were conscious objectors, the army DID kill out the city on the command of a mercenary, Doeg. So my premise stands. 1) The Jewish army did contain mercenaries. 2) The King controlled the army, not the Sanhedrin. 3) the army did what the king commanded, not to upkeep the Torah. If The king decides to enforce the Torah, the army would comply as we see by Yehoshya. The Army was also used to kill innocent people like Saul, Menashe, Yannai, Alexander, and the rest of the dozens of Jewish Kings that used to army to kill innocent people.
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