War Crimes Complaint Against Franks Tossed

[Khephra]

January 14, 2004, 4:43 PM EST


BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The Belgian High Court threw out a war crimes complaint Wednesday against retired U.S. Gen. Tommy Franks, backing a lower court ruling that Belgium had no jurisdiction in the case against the commander of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Lawyers representing 19 civilians wounded or bereaved in the Iraq war had appealed the lower court decision to the High Court, even though the Belgian government scrapped its universal jurisdiction law last summer.

more.......

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-war-crimes-franks,0,6173570.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

[IndianaGreen]

1. Belgium was forced by the US to accept immunity for all US officials

Other countries have been threatened as well if they attempt to prosecute American war criminals, whether they are named Kissinger or Franks.

Imagine the Nuremberg war crime trials prosecuting only the Italian fascists while granting immunity to Hitler and his cohorts.

[edzontar]

2. Too bad...he belongs in Spandau

Alongside Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Myers, Wolfie, and Powell.

[forgethell]

3. The whole concept of "universal Jurisdiction"

is ridiculous. Even the UN does not have it, nor does the ICC. even if they say they do, if certain countries, say, oh, the USA do not want to turn over their citizens, then who is going to make them.

Belgium doesn't have custody of Franks, so anything they decide would be moot, anyway, unless Gen Franks was dumb enought to go there.

This kind of posturing is ridiculous on the part of powerless little countries like Belgium. It annoys people. Their intentions my have been good, even excellent, but as they say, "their reach exceeded their grasp".

Please don't flame me with your opinions about Gen Franks, the Iraq War, or anything of that nature. that is totally beside the point, besides I'm probably not disagreeing with you. The point is that people and nations should look at their abilities to do such things before making grandiose plans that will only get them laughed at,deservedly so.

[einniv]

6. Are you maybe missing the idea that

perhaps Belgium was posturing for its own "reward".

Get in on the gravy train. They are getting that nice new shiny base I bet they tweaked that deal a little in order to drop the case.

And they exposed the great power for what it was doing. Forced them to display their aggression and win allies. To point up the American's all talk and no walk stance on "international law and justice"

Not a bad "move" all in all.

[newyawker99]

8. Hi einniv!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[forgethell]

9. I bet they tweaked that deal a little in order to drop the case.

Got a link? In that case they are hypocrites, in addition to being ridiculous.

[daleo]

4. The lesson is:

Only defeated countries have war criminals. They say what goes around, comes around, though.

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. explains GeeDubya's quip "Internation Law, better call my Lawyer"

.
.
.

Running the World with Bullets, Bombs and Bribes

- how long can this last ?

Bush KNEW that these cases would be thrown out - he had already threatened them . .

From the Article:

Washington had threatened to pull NATO headquarters out of Belgium unless the law was changed.

The United States also froze plans to contribute to the construction of a multimillion dollar headquarters for the alliance in the Belgium capital, pending an end to the cases against Americans.

The revised law drops the "universal jurisdiction" claim of the 1993 original version, which also resulted in politically embarrassing complaints against British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The new law allows cases to be brought only if the victim or suspect is a Belgian citizen or long-term resident at the time of the alleged crime. It also guarantees diplomatic immunity for world leaders and other government officials visiting Belgium.

/end/

USA has NO interest in obeying world laws, they just change them or ignore them

Wonder if Junior will ever take his chances with our Canuk Law ??
.
.


The Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act:

provides for the prosecution of any individual present in Canada for any offence stated in the Act regardless of where the offence occurred;

creates new offences of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and breach of responsibility by military commanders and civilian superiors;

creates new offences to protect the administration of justice at the ICC, including the safety of judges and witnesses; and,

recognizes the need to provide restitution to victims and provides a mechanism to do so for victims of offences (regulations to implement these provisions have not yet been passed).


Could THIS have something to do with why the Texacutioner doesn't set foot in Canada ?

hmmm . .

or did Martin sell this one out in the Mexican stand-off :shrug:

[Malva Zebrina]

7. The US will get away with any war crimes it committs

there is not doubt about that. They rule and they will get away with it all. This is my country and it seeks to be the one who is not accountable to anyone. IT will get away with war crimes--and so will Israel.

War crimes has become a mantra for little countries and their little dictators. When it comes to the US , a supposed democracy, but with a man in charge who was not duly elected, and Israel, who , incredibly is building a great big wall to enclose a ghetto area to keep certain "others" out--heh, if you got the money and you got the weapons, no one will accuse you of war crimes.

The point is to get the nukes. Any little country knows this. If it do not have nukes, it can be accused of "war crimes". If it do have nukes, it is treated like a respected enemy.

[ConcernedCanuk]

10. The US will get away with it, for now . .. .

.
.
. It may not be in our lifetimes,

but eventually the "sheeples" of the world will unite against their aggressors

It has always been that way -

But right now, too many of us are anesthetized by our 200 tv channels, our game-boys and yup, the Internet.

This will pass, and the peasants will revolt

But only after millions die at the hands of the BFEE and their ilk

(sigh)