THE HOTTEST QUESTION OF THE HOUR

[helderheid]

The Balanced Hand of Justice–or the Power of Rich War Criminals–Which Shall Judge War Criminals George Bush and Richard Cheney?

By Michael O’McCarthy

The question is: which of the Presidential candidates, Obama or McCain, will use the hand of balanced justice to send George Bush, Dick Cheney et al to the War Crimes’ bar of justice? Or will they use the same slippery-handed maneuver as employed by Gerald Ford in pardoning war criminal # 1 Richard Milhouse Nixon? And as impeachment becomes more and more the conversation and passion of the day the next question is: when will the press begin to ask both the candidates this question?

Will Obama lend himself to conventional law and order and support their prosecution should they be indicted in the US or before an international war crimes tribunal?

That depends on what he means by “change.” Change means change and allowing that kind of corrupt, illegal and unethical politics as inaugural message to our citizens is not change. It is the age-old politics of the super rich “good ole buddies” club.

But then, how badly will Obama need the members of the new elitist, predatory, managerial class in-dept to=2 0the Bush-Cheney cabal? And what message of the “new” America would this send to a world racked by “terror” when it is clear that the US government under Bush-Cheney committed war crimes – terror, throughout the world and at home?

Then of course what of McCain? He runs as an All-American War Hero for his participation in the US’s war against South East Asia. He certainly asserts his heroic resistance to and systematic victim of torture at the hands of North Vietnamese officials. That he was at times tortured has been documented; that he participated in proscribed behavior for POW’s is also documented.

http://blog.pdamerica.org/?p=1992">More

[ben_meyers]

1. Nixon was pardoned for "war crimes"?

What ever else Nixon was, I doubt that he alone would have been guilty of war crimes. Would this O’McCarthy character have demanded the war crime trials of JFK and LBJ? How about prosecuting FDR for the firebombing of civilians at Dresden and Tokyo or Truman for the dropping the "Atomic Bomb" on Japanese civilian populations. He cheapens the phrase "war crimes" with his sophomoric rhetoric.

Has he ever noticed that the only ones brought to the so called "international bar of justice" for war crimes or crimes against humanity are the losers, to the victors go the spoils.

Will he call for Obama to be hauled off to the Hague for advocating an increase in troop strength in Afghanistan?

This whole screed is a freshman college dorm exercise in simple mindedness and only serves to make whatever peace movement there is look naive.

[Beregond2]

2. Would Nixon's illegal extension of the war into Cambodia

without the approval of Congress be considered a "war crime?" Not sure what the definition is.

[ben_meyers]

3. And possibly that's what makes this whole "war crime"

rant a sophomoric exercise. One persons self defense may be another persons war crime.

The Japanese bombed a military target at Pearl Harbor and the United States retaliated by fire bombing German civilian populations.

What is the definition of a "war crime". It would seem the victors get to decide.

The people attempting a citizens arrest on Rove in Iowa the other day yelling about "war crimes" only reinforce the foolishness.

[Beregond2]

4. Philosophically, you are right of course. What I meant was,

isn't there an actual legal definition of a war crime? That's what matters, as far as any prosecutions are concerned.

[conscious evolution]

6. Here you go

The definition of war crimes as defined by the Nuremberg Principles.

Principle VI
The crimes hereinafter set out are punishable as crimes under international law:

(a) Crimes against peace:
(i) Planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances;
(ii) Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the acts mentioned under (i).
(b) War Crimes:
Violations of the laws or customs of war which include, but are not limited to, murder, ill-treatment or deportation of slave labor or for any other purpose of the civilian population of or in occupied territory; murder or ill-treatment of prisoners of war or persons on the Seas, killing of hostages, plunder of public or private property, wanton destruction of cities, towns, or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity.

If you are going to knock someone for calling for war crimes charges against the bush regime you really should know what they are first.

Here are the rest of the Nuremberg Principles-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_Principles

[kimmerspixelated]

5. Very good question.

I think the answer won't be available till after the election. It's not negotiable or forgiveable or pardonable IMHO, and I hope that Obama makes the right choice. Of course, McCain would pardon Bush, which also reminds me just now of the fact the rethugs will have an even bigger reason to steal the election!