Iraq to ask U.N. to end US Immunity for Atrocities by US Soldiers

[leftchick]

Wow! Reuters even included Abeer's proof of age in the article...


http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=newsOne&storyID=2006-07-10T210647Z_01_KAR040738_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-RAPE.xml

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq will ask the United Nations to end immunity from local law for U.S. troops, the government said on Monday, as the U.S. military named five soldiers charged in a rape-murder case that has outraged Iraqis.

In an interview a week after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki demanded a review of foreign troops' immunity, Human Rights Minister Wigdan Michael said work on it was now under way and a request could be ready by next month to go to the U.N. Security Council, under whose mandate U.S.-led forces operate in Iraq.

"We're very serious about this," she said, adding a lack of enforcement of U.S. military law in the past had encouraged soldiers to commit crimes against Iraqi civilians.


<snip>

Analysts say it is improbable the United States would ever make its troops answerable to Iraq's chaotic judicial system.

Asked to respond to Michael's remarks, White House spokesman Tony Snow dismissed that as a "hypothetical game".

.... nice tony! :(

[mmonk]

1. Interesting

though it won't fly. Just make the US fall under international law and it will take care of itself (though the US follows no laws).

[leveymg]

4. There is no legal immunity to int'l law for U.S. troops and officials

Limited immunity to Iraqi law does NOT immunize U.S. officials from prosecution under the Geneva Convention or the UN Conventions Against Torture and Genocide.

Before any international court is convened, the U.S. would be given ample opportunity to prosecute its own military and nationals. The Uniform Code of Military Conduct applies to U.S. service people accused of war crimes or other offenses forbidden under U.S. law, which include offense prohibited by the Geneva Convention and the UN Conventions against torture and genocide.

Only if the U.S. fails to make a good-faith effort to prosecute would any international tribunal begin to assume jurisdiction. That point has not been reached, yet. That threshold would be breached, however, if Bush started handing out pardons, or Congress passed laws attempting to withdraw the U.S. from its treaty obligations.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. I'd rather see them answerable to the ICC.

But, that's not likely to happen either.

[malaise]

3. A number of governments in Latin America and

the Caribbean refused to grant immunity to US troops. Apparently the US government has no problem forcign socereign states to violate international treaties when it is in its interest.
http://www.antiwar.com/lobe/?articleid=4078
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20030702T000000-0500_45853_OBS_US_CUTS_AID_TO_CARICOM_SIX.asp

http://www.unknownnews.net/030704warcrimes.html
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Caribbean+governments+and+immunity+for+US+troops&btnG=Google+Search

Add link.

[Vidar]

5. Good move by Iraq , though I doubt its success.