Can and Should Bush Be Prosecuted For War Crimes?

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.swnewsherald.com/online_content/2006/07/071106rh_bush.php

Although we might be able to distort politics, lobby international agencies and use foreign aid to swing support to and from important issues, principles of law do not change and always come back to haunt those who violate them.

Despite the chorus of fascist support that President George W. Bush continues to receive from many Americans whipped up by politics and emotions, the fact is Bush has violated some fundamental principles of law that can, should and will come back to haunt not just him but us as Americans.

The first is the president's violation of the Fourth Geneva Conventions.

It is a crime to violate the Fourth Geneva Conventions, not just according to international law but also according to U.S. laws. And, we are violating the Fourth Geneva Conventions in the manner in which we are


1) arresting and detaining prisoners in Iraq and around the world under the guise of "War on terrorism," and

2) in the manner in which we are mistreating those prisoners by denying them legal representation and also using torture. snip

[Drum]

1. a) No, and b) Yes! nt

[atreides1]

8. Why can't he be prosecuted

Why can't he be prosecuted for War Crimes? The leaders of the Nazi Party were, as were German military commanders.

Milosevic was also prosecuted for war crimes.

What gives Bush immunity from international law?

[adwon]

10. Force

Precisely who has the ability to enforce international law? Not the authority, the ability.

[Drum]

12. Besides the fact that he seems to do whatever he damned well wants? nt

[0007]

19. Milosevic's defence was that he was protecting his country

against terrorist.

junior's defense is exactly the same.

[Ian David]

2. Can't Bush be detained and deported while visiting a foreign country?

I mean, how much protection does he actually travel with, compared to the military might of an entire country?

Some country, somewhere, must be willing to place him under arrest and deport him to The Hague the next time Air Force One touches down, right?

I'm NOT suggesting someone actually should do that. Just asking if they can.

[bdamomma]

3. Yes

I would love to see that smirk get smacked right off his face.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. Yes and yes, but extremely unlikely

Not until the GOP and all the Democratic quislings like Joseph Lieberman have been eliminated from political power.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Yes. Just like Nixon, LBJ, Kissinger and McNamara were..oh, wait.

Fat chance, though richly deserved.

[Cyrano]

11. Kissinger's travels are limited. There are countries in which he would

be arrested and tried for war crimes.

[Swamp Rat]

6. Yes & yes

[The Stranger]

7. You keep posting, and I keep reccommending . . .

[patricia92243]

9. No, yes

[ThomWV]

13. Yes He Can and Hopefully He Will Be Prosecuted

And imprisoned along with most of the Political Appointees in the Department of Defense.

Remember, although Hitler wasn't tried after WW-II but much of his General Staff was and then lower level people all the way down to internment camp guards. If I were in the Pentagon wearing anything from bars to stars I'd be mighty worried.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

14. No and therefor no.

If you asked "has the President *committed* war crimes, there would be a debate worth having.

But prosecuting the president of America for war crimes is, and will be for the forseeable future, self-evidently impossible, and trying to do so would achieve nothing except political suicide.

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. Link no longer working , although Google News points to the same URL

Too risky for them? The home page doesn't seem to have anything quite as recent as the timestamp Google News gave.

[hootinholler]

16. Why I think Yes and Yes...

Please check out the journal and sign the resolution! (link in sig)

-Hoot

[in_cog_ni_to]

17. YES, IF we take back Congress in Nov. and YES he should be! n/t

[kwolf68]

18. No and Yes

He never will be, but he should be.

[Solly Mack]

20. Can? Yes (if those who had the power also had the integrity to do so)

Congress has the power but chooses to bow and scrape before a tyrant. It's not enough that a few want to hold Bush accountable...the whole must do it's job and that's not happening.

Should? Yes

Will? Not a chance

The crimes of George Bush will be treated as "mistakes" and folks will make pretty little speeches about "lessons learned" and "how America can do better" and how we must now "move forward"

And years from now when it's safe to do so(when most of the guilty are dead), Congress will vote on a proclamation of mea culpas for past "mistakes" in Iraq and make more pretty speeches about how, as a nation, it's the least we can do.

Anything but hold the guilty accountable.

The American government isn't exactly big on holding itself accountable for it's actions.

Oh, it'll acknowledge past "mistakes"- long, long, long, after it's too late to do anything about them. And the government will engage in half-hearted attempts at justice...the appearance of justice...of doing something...but then always pull back on truly doing what they should do and claiming "it's in the best interests of America" not to "drag the country" through "all that"...

"All that" being actual justice.

[fooj]

21. Don't forget Grandpappy Prescott...

apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

[SensibleAmerican]

22. If anybody tried to arrest Bush, this country would descend into civil war

n/t

[Cleita]

23. This is how I hope this whole sordid era of our history ends;

that we have our own version of Nuremberg trials that brings the whole cabal and their sycophants to justice. If we can't do it I hope the World Court does even if it has to be in absentia.

Even if they leave power with their ill gotten gains and go into private life, I want those judgments and sentences in absentia to hang over their heads. I want other countries to honor the World Court by arresting them and turning them over to the Hague to begin their sentences if any one of them dares enter their country.

I want history to know who they were.

[Sir Jeffrey]

24. Yes and yes...

Can he under the current laws? Absolutely. Preemptive war is the "supreme" war crime according to the Nuremburg standard.

SHould he? Of course he should.

Realistically, it won't happen. But as the law stands, and under a just system, he would have been detained on his first trip to Europe after the Iraq War began.