Commentary: War crime charges threat to ground Bush?

[babylonsister]

http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070423-090645-7777r

Commentary: War crime charges threat to ground Bush?
Louis Werner

April 23, 2007

NEW YORK -- He would probably never be able to attract hefty speakers' fees abroad, like the $2 million Ronald Reagan earned in Japan just days after leaving the White House. It is unlikely he would even wish to travel to developing countries as Jimmy Carter still does at the age of 82. He would be foolhardy to risk private visits to the Middle East, in the manner of the retired Bush Senior. And he certainly would never be invited, as was Bill Clinton, to serve as a UN special envoy to foster goodwill.

Instead, as soon as he leaves office at noon, January 20, 2009, George W. Bush is likely to head back to Texas, and stay there. Why? Because he may well fear being thrown into jail if he ever left US sanctuary. Overseas, the threat of indictment, extradition, and arrest hangs heavy. Just like it was for Augusto Pinochet.

The precedent set in 1998 by former Chilean president Pinochet's 16-month house arrest in Britain, while the House of Lords dealt with Spanish prosecutor Balthazar Garzon's request to extradite him to Spain to face charges of torturing Spanish citizens, should be enough to limit Bush's post-White House travel plans. And the close call sitting prime minister Ariel Sharon faced in a Belgian courthouse - criminal indictment for the Sabra and Shatila massacres - should worry him even more.

Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenet, Paul Wolfowitz, and other former US officials are presently facing war crime charges in a German court for torture in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. Germany law provides for "universal jurisdiction" over all crimes, committed by anyone, anywhere, which must be prosecuted for the "good of humanity." Since there is no statute of limitations, George W. Bush's name may be added to the list of those charged at any time.

A fully-documented 384-page request for prosecution of the above named suspects is now before the German federal prosecutor's office, filed by a German lawyer, on behalf of the US' Center for Constitutional Rights, which represents 12 torture victims, under Germany's 2002 Code of Crimes Against International Law.

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[pnwmom]

1. K & R

[AndyTiedye]

2. Bush** and Cheney Deserve a L-O-N-G Vacation In The Beautiful…

…Hague. We simply must insist


…that they visit the fabulous Peace Palace.


…Home of the International Criminal Court.

The Court will be very interested in meeting with Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, and I
am sure they will have a great deal to discuss.

Accomodations will be provided, free-of-charge, with the highest security,

and with every provision for guests who will be extending their stay in the Hague.

[DeSwiss]

3. KnR!!! n/t

:thumbsup: :)

[rumpel]

4. lovely

:)

k&r

[Kurovski]

5. K&R. (nt)

[Vidar]

6. Nuremburg would be a lovely locale for the trial.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. Maybe he can sell used cars in Crawford or preach at the local church.

[lonestarnot]

8. I stopped reading here.

as soon as he leaves office at noon, January 20, 2009

[robinlynne]

9. ah but paraguay doesn't extradite....

[Morgana LaFey]

10. and boy does it have a lot of water.... nt

[ananda]

11. I guess there's always Paraguay..

..