Uncle Iroh is an irredeemable asshole and war criminal in Avatar: The Last Airbender

Almost everyone likes this character just because in his retirement he drinks a lot of tea, says some wholesome/inspirational sounding things and sings some song while playing a guitar. It makes no sense.

Earlier in life he should have realized the war he was fighting and people he was killing for no reason were war crimes before his son died in that same war. But because he is just the same as every other selfish asshole in the world, he apparently didn't realize it was wrong or affected human lives until it affected him personally. Well he should have, the effect of war is obvious to anyone who pauses to think for a single second ever in their life. That war of aggression, especially, was mass murder and genocide and not forgivable. No supposed guilt, trivial good manners or "wholesome sayings" we see in any way make up for that nor could they.