Belgium's highest court throws out case against Sharon

[Gimel]

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Belgium's highest court on Wednesday threw out a war crimes complaint against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and a case against former U.S. President George Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell.

The ruling by the Cour de Cassation is expected to soothe diplomatic relations with the United States and Israel, which had hit their lowest points in decades because of the court complaints.

A statement released by the Israeli embassy in Brussels said that "the ruling will enable us to rehabilitate the relations between the two nations."
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/343928.html

[drdon326]

1. High damn time...

n/t

[UserNamesAreFree]

2. Not sure about this court

Is it a creation solely of Belgium? Or does it have some kind of international sanction and the recognition of other countries?

[Gimel]

3. Belgium law

The open-ended law attracted many seeking political redress from around the world. The law was eventually restated to exclude the wide spectrum of petitions. Apparently that ruling was appealed. This seems to be the end of that ambitious program.

[UserNamesAreFree]

4. Hard to imagine

what kind of real impact or authority it would have over parties in other countries. It seems like a PR tool.

[Gimel]

5. Never thought of it

that way. Could have that effect. However, the opposite effect on the accused. It was rather like putting themselves in judgment of others in foreign places, which seemed to me, destined to distortion and manipulation.

[dfong63]

6. how's it any worse than Israeli courts trying nazi war crimes from WWII?

[The Magistrate]

7. You Have Some Objection To Eichmann's Trial, Sir?

[vierundzwanzig]

8. It was foolish to begin with

to assume that any of the rich and powerful terrorists would succumb to anything remotely resembling justice.

If the U.N. has failed how could such a court hold up?