Qaddafi and His Forces Warned on War Crimes (by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court)

[Turborama]

Source: NYT

By MARLISE SIMONS
Published: March 18, 2011

PARIS — The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court warned Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi on Friday that if he attacked civilians in the eastern city that is the rebels’ base or in any other towns, he would be committing war crimes.

The prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, is already investigating Colonel Qaddafi and three of his sons for actions against unarmed political opponents. His message on Friday also aimed at military commanders. “If they attack civilians they risk getting arrest warrants,” he said.

He said that the Libyan government’s abrupt call for a cease-fire on Friday would not interrupt the case, and that he was issuing explicit warnings for clear legal reasons. In a future prosecution, he said, he would have to demonstrate that commanders in Libya were aware that indiscriminate attacks against civilians were violations of international law and humanitarian law.

“Warning them in real time is the best way to demonstrate that they are informed,” said the prosecutor, who spoke by telephone from The Hague.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/world/europe/19hague.html?_r=1

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[Lint Head]

1. Does the international criminal court not consider Bush, Rumsfeld and Cheney

as having committed war crimes?

[daleo]

3. By definition, leaders of powerful counties are excluded

It's like regular crime - the rich and powerful give themselves a pass, then make a show of going after pipsqueaks.

[freshwest]

13. In the rush to war, no one else seems to have noticed that...

[jakeXT]

16. They usually get Nobel Peace Prizes like Kissinger lol nt

[ronnie624]

4. Thank you.

It isn't really possible to take them seriously, if international law doesn't apply to all rogue states.

[Turborama]

6. I want Gaddafi to take this seriously

And I want the Bush junta to start taking notice that this is a precedent they should be getting worried about.

[ronnie624]

7. I don't think the Bush junta will ever have to worry about the ICC. n/t

[Turborama]

8. I hope you're wrong.

I guess I'm more optimistic.

[joshcryer]

11. Same here.

[christx30]

14. I don't think any

leader will. I mean... you have GOT to have the cooperation of the offending nation in order to try someone for war crimes. Gadaffi can slaughter thousands of people and get on camera and brag about it for 16 hours. What is the ICC going to do about it. He has to be served papers or subpoenaed to get him in front of the ICC. Who's going to do that? Someone has to dislodge him first. Are the rebels in Libya strong enough to do it? Is some foreign military going to do it? The French? The Italians? The U.S.? Doubt it.
Joker takes over Arkham Asylum and kills doctors. If the Gotham City police department can't get in there, and Batman doesn't believe that he has the money or the right to go in there, Joker can do anything he wants. SOMEONE has to make it happen for the ICC to have any teeth.

[Turborama]

15. This is not a comic book. Alea iacta est.

The die has been cast. The countries that have signed up to support the revolution against Gaddafi cannot & will not stop doing whatever it is they plan on doing until he is either caught alive and put on trial or assassinated.

It really is that simple.

[christx30]

18. But until that happens

he will continue to kill civilians. And that two week delay where everyone was dickering around and everyone was playing both sides didn't help anything.

[joshcryer]

10. Exactly, the ICC hasn't even tried a case yet, the more we legitimize it the better.

Then one day when Bush is 80 or 90 we have a good DA and he charges him and pow, boom, done.

The evidence is everywhere, it'd be open and shut.

[Bo]

5. and et al chimp vader and breast man get Nada

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
WE ARE A JOKE

[joshcryer]

9. Not yet, can we wait a while and legitimize them please?

[totodeinhere]

20. Do the actions of Bush and Cheney now give Qaddafi license to commit war crimes as well?

I don't think so.

[tabatha]

2. Maybe that warning will make the use of anything military

unnecessary.

[Purveyor]

12. And he 'cackled' uncontrollably as the crowds joined in... eom

[dipsydoodle]

17. There are attacks on civilians in Afghanistan

Next up the USA ?

[faz]

19. Where was the International Criminal Court during and after the Iraq War?

Tools

[Turborama]

21. So... Who'd get him first? The ICC or The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights?

Even though http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4793322&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">Uganda offered him asylum, this development surely means he's got nowhere to run, now? http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4794653