Wed Dec 23, 2020, 01:08 PM

sabra (30,391 posts)

'Our blood is cheaper than water': Iraqis' anger over Trump pardons

Source: The Guardian

Joe Biden to be lobbied to reverse Trump decision to pardon security guards jailed over massacre

Iraqis have reacted with outrage to Donald Trump’s move to pardon four security guards from the security firm Blackwater who had been jailed for a 2007 massacre that sparked an outcry over the use of mercenaries in war.

The four men were part of a security convoy that fired on civilians at a central Baghdad roundabout, killing 14 people including a nine-year old child and wounding many more.

The four guards – Paul Slough, Evan Liberty, Dustin Heard and Nicholas Slatten – opened fire indiscriminately with machine guns, grenade launchers and a sniper on a crowd of unarmed people at a roundabout, known as Nisour Square.

The killings were one of the lowest points of the US-led invasion of Iraq, and the convictions had been seen by many Iraqis as a rare occasion where US citizens had been held to account for atrocities committed during the aftermath. Baghdad residents who spoke to the Guardian described the outgoing US president’s announcement as a “cruel slap” and an insult.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/23/our-blood-is-cheaper-than-water-iraqis-anger-over-trump-pardons

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11 replies	Author	Time	Post
'Our blood is cheaper than water': Iraqis' anger over Trump pardons (Original post)	sabra	Dec 2020	OP
Extradite them to Iraq	exboyfil	Dec 2020	#1
They are immune.	Eugene	Dec 2020	#8
I wish he COULD overturn them. It is way past time for some limits to be set on pardons.	hlthe2b	Dec 2020	#2
"Joe Biden to be lobbied to reverse Trump decision to pardon security guards"	LiberalLovinLug	Dec 2020	#3
I don't think it is either - unless there were other charges not charged for other war crimes they	karynnj	Dec 2020	#4
In a Supreme Court case the ruling was a pardon could be reversed until the point it was actually	PoliticAverse	Dec 2020	#5
Yeah,	Turin_C3PO	Dec 2020	#11
The Trump legacy... war crimes are ok when done by America.	keithbvadu2	Dec 2020	#6
Yup - Family Guy nailed it.	Initech	Dec 2020	#7
This message was self-deleted by its author	CatLady78	Dec 2020	#9
total, complete	llashram	Dec 2020	#10

Response to sabra (Original post)

Wed Dec 23, 2020, 01:10 PM

exboyfil (16,161 posts)

1. Extradite them to Iraq

Probably couldn't get it done, but they should have been tried in Iraq anyway.

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Response to exboyfil (Reply #1)

Wed Dec 23, 2020, 11:49 PM

Eugene (52,735 posts)

8. They are immune.

Contractors were immune under the Status of Forces Agreement in effect at the time.

It was up to the United States to bring American criminals there to justice.

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Response to sabra (Original post)

Wed Dec 23, 2020, 01:10 PM

hlthe2b (89,212 posts)

2. I wish he COULD overturn them. It is way past time for some limits to be set on pardons.

and those were absolutely horrifying.

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Response to sabra (Original post)

Wed Dec 23, 2020, 02:02 PM

LiberalLovinLug (12,928 posts)

3. "Joe Biden to be lobbied to reverse Trump decision to pardon security guards"

I didn't think this was possible.

If it was, and Trump got Pence to pardon him, or pardoned himself, Biden could simply reverse it. If that is possible, you'd think the MSM would have been all over that.

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Response to LiberalLovinLug (Reply #3)

Wed Dec 23, 2020, 02:30 PM

karynnj (58,625 posts)

4. I don't think it is either - unless there were other charges not charged for other war crimes they

did.

What I also wonder is whether the ICC could charge them because of what Trump did. I know the US is not in the ICC, but it seems likely these guys may travel. Could they be arrested outside the US?

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Response to LiberalLovinLug (Reply #3)

Wed Dec 23, 2020, 02:42 PM

PoliticAverse (24,841 posts)

5. In a Supreme Court case the ruling was a pardon could be reversed until the point it was actually

delivered to the recipient.

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Response to LiberalLovinLug (Reply #3)

Fri Dec 25, 2020, 09:02 AM

Turin_C3PO (7,871 posts)

11. Yeah,

I don’t think Biden has the option to reverse the pardon. Presidential pardon rights are very clearly spelled out in our constitution. I support pardon power, in general, but it’s clearly being abused by Trump. I don’t know what we can do though.

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Response to sabra (Original post)

Wed Dec 23, 2020, 06:30 PM

keithbvadu2 (23,255 posts)

6. The Trump legacy... war crimes are ok when done by America.

In the long run, Trump will be gone and it will be: 'America condones war crimes'.

Whenever America brings up enemy war crimes, they will have a ready-made response.

The Trump legacy... war crimes are ok when done by America.

Donald has given them a strong propaganda tool.

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Response to keithbvadu2 (Reply #6)

Wed Dec 23, 2020, 07:16 PM

Initech (89,990 posts)

7. Yup - Family Guy nailed it.

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Response to keithbvadu2 (Reply #6)

CatLady78 This message was self-deleted by its author.

Response to sabra (Original post)

Fri Dec 25, 2020, 08:47 AM

llashram (3,469 posts)

10. total, complete

Last edited Sat Dec 26, 2020, 11:46 PM - Edit history (1)

racist travesty by a sitting POTUS. The story after the father opened the door to the car after Blackwater mercenaries opened upon it and his child fell out, "his brains spilling out at his father's feet". Many more enemies made with these pardons.

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