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FearTheReaper

FearTheReaper

NEWSWIRE

I'm lost

MAR 09, 2009 11:34 PM

America may, in the very near future, be harboring a war criminal from justice. His name is George W. Bush. Maybe a few war criminals, in fact. Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld and a few others. They sort of decided that if people weren’t wearing uniforms, they could be tortured and other exciting stuff. Because of what they were wearing. You know, their clothes. It’s a fabric defense. Good luck defending that genius idea in a world court.

At some point, Bush will certainly be indicted.

An ex-UN prosecutor has said that following the issuance of an arrest warrant for the president of Sudan, former US President George W. Bush could -- and should -- be next on the International Criminal Court's list.

"David Crane, an international law professor at Syracuse University, said the principle of law used to issue an arrest warrant for [Sudanese President] Omar al-Bashir could extend to former US President Bush over claims officials from his Administration may have engaged in torture by using coercive interrogation techniques on terror suspects.



Sure. We all know we tortured people and that many of them were probably innocent. The world doesn’t usually go for this sort of thing. The only way to possibly avoid an ugly black mark is if we take care of our own business, but that’s not going to happen because some Democrats in Congress were aware of and approved of the torture. So, it will come down to a world court, in which an ex-president of the United States will be accused and indicted for war crimes. Hold your heads high, Americans.

A trial will probably never occur, because the US doesn’t recognize the court at The Hague and would definitely block the UN Security Council from issuing an order. Also, we would never give him up. So, that will be good. We will then live in limbo until Bush dies. Many people across the world will want Bush and Rumsfeld brought to justice, but no such thing will occur. How's this for a future headline?

Accused War Criminal Bush Dies Without Ever Facing Justice



Sounds good, doesn't it? Totally warms my heart. America will be a country harboring fugitives for many years. There will be no getting over it, no getting past it, because there will be no resolution. It will be an awesome shame we will all live with everyday, that we can pile on top of our current heap, which includes The Jonas Brothers, Baywatch, that Hiroshima thing, the Shah of Iran and Mama’s Family.

As the years go by, we will learn more and more about the horrible, illegal acts committed by Bush and company. The evidence will mount. The disturbing truth will slowly be revealed and we will circle our wagons around the guy nobody seems to like, because he’s our guy we don’t like. You can’t not like the guy we don’t like. Back the fuck off.

He will remain with us and become our great shame until his death. He will be like a tumor, slowly eating away, but never killing us. We could cut the tumor out. I would actually prefer to remove it with a shotgun, but we won’t because we are weak. And we don’t really believe in the law and human rights, as we pretend to do. We believe in politics and not rocking the boat to avoid “the other party” from taking over. Meanwhile, this will eat at us every single day. Seriously, why don’t you let a wanted pedophile stay in your basement and see how it makes you feel? Bush tortured many people, and if a number of reports are to be believed, many died during torture. I’m pretty sure that’s a bad thing.

Bush is a criminal and we should allow whatever evidence is out there to be presented in a court of law. If we don’t, we can’t say shit about guys like Omar al-Bashir of Sudan. We are also going to spend a couple of decades feeling like total dirtbags.

So, that will be nice.


FearTheReaper is a writer, actor and stand up comedian. Check back each Tuesday and Friday for more from FearTheReaper


Toku666

Toku666

Columbus, OH
May 2004

MAR 10, 2009 06:04 AM

Well, if Nixon didn't get that headline (and Kissinger won't, either) I really don't see how anyone would expect that Bush will.

Other than that you were spot-on.

p3r1

p3r1

I'm lost
March 2009

MAR 10, 2009 09:52 AM

Sad, isn't it? I don't think there's too much to add to this. I'm not American and I wish them no harm. I'd just like to share with you some words of former UN Secretary-General, Mr. Koffi Annan

"More than ever today Americans, like the rest of humanity, need a functioning global system. And experience has shown, time and again, that the system works poorly when the US remains aloof, but much better when there is far-sighted US leadership.

That gives American leaders, of today and tomorrow, a great responsibility. The American people must see that they live up to it".

This belongs to his last article before leaving office. You can read the full version on:

What I have learned, by Koffi A. Annan


Thank you for sharing. Peace out!

DJForce

DJForce

Summerville, SC
November 2008

MAR 10, 2009 11:29 AM

Just thought I would add that according to the Geneva Convention ...



The Hague and Geneva Conventions lay out four criteria defining prisoners of war. This is a direct quote.

that of being commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates.
that of having a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance.
that of carrying arms openly.
that of conducting their operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war.




Persons, such as guerrillas and partisans, who take up arms and commit hostile acts without having complied with the conditions prescribed by the laws of war for recognition as belligerents, are, when captured by the injured party, not entitled to be treated as prisoners of war and may be tried and sentenced to execution or imprisonment (FM 27-10 Par. 80).



Taken from HERE

mydogfarted

mydogfarted

Oakland, NJ
June 2003

MAR 10, 2009 11:33 AM

p3r1 said:
Sad, isn't it? I don't think there's too much to add to this. I'm not American and I wish them no harm. I'd just like to share with you some words of former UN Secretary-General, Mr. Koffi Annan

"More than ever today Americans, like the rest of humanity, need a functioning global system. And experience has shown, time and again, that the system works poorly when the US remains aloof, but much better when there is far-sighted US leadership.

That gives American leaders, of today and tomorrow, a great responsibility. The American people must see that they live up to it".

This belongs to his last article before leaving office. You can read the full version on:

What I have learned, by Koffi A. Annan


Thank you for sharing. Peace out!



So, I guess this means things may get better now that Bush is gone.

Stiles

Stiles

Oakland, CA
November 2002

MAR 10, 2009 11:36 AM

DJForce said:
Just thought I would add that according to the Geneva Convention ...



The Hague and Geneva Conventions lay out four criteria defining prisoners of war. This is a direct quote.

that of being commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates.
that of having a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance.
that of carrying arms openly.
that of conducting their operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war.




Persons, such as guerrillas and partisans, who take up arms and commit hostile acts without having complied with the conditions prescribed by the laws of war for recognition as belligerents, are, when captured by the injured party, not entitled to be treated as prisoners of war and may be tried and sentenced to execution or imprisonment (FM 27-10 Par. 80).



Taken from HERE



That's great and all, but Bush forgot the "tried" part. He kept hundreds of people in legal limbo for seven years without charge or trial, in case you forgot.

Toku666

Toku666

Columbus, OH
May 2004

MAR 10, 2009 12:27 PM

We zoomed right past "injured party," as well. Not only did the "tried" part get skipped as Stiles pointed out, what percentage of those held even qualified as having "injured" our country as a party?

p3r1

p3r1

I'm lost
March 2009

MAR 10, 2009 12:56 PM

Toku666 said:
We zoomed right past "injured party," as well. Not only did the "tried" part get skipped as Stiles pointed out, what percentage of those held even qualified as having "injured" our country as a party?



Disturbing, isn't it?

BDeyeD

BDeyeD

Toronto, ON
January 2007

MAR 10, 2009 03:46 PM

Toku666 said:
We zoomed right past "injured party," as well. Not only did the "tried" part get skipped as Stiles pointed out, what percentage of those held even qualified as having "injured" our country as a party?



I also don't recall anything in there okaying torture. Must've missed that. Wait, what's that? Waterboarding isn't torture? I stand corrected...

Ekka

Ekka

Woodbury, NY
January 2008

MAR 10, 2009 05:16 PM

Thanks for sharing. It's always nice to read something by someone with a good head on their shoulder. I wish less people were content to shuffle along...

ramzrc1005

ramzrc1005

United Kingdom
December 2008

MAR 10, 2009 05:35 PM

Let's face it the guy didn't exactly rack up the I.Q. points, i think the world court might struggle getting a coherent sentence out of him. He proved time and time again that he didn't have a clue what was going on even if he did okay it in the first place.

He probably can't even spell the word torture.
However it would be nice to see justice being dealt.

NadirByte

NadirByte

I'm lost
May 2007

MAR 10, 2009 06:25 PM

Oh, my, how incendiary a topic, and so critically bourgeois. I am so impressed puke

FellOnEarth

FellOnEarth

Temecula, CA
April 2006

MAR 10, 2009 06:38 PM

bour·geois adj.
1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of the townsman or of the social middle class
2 : marked by a concern for material interests and respectability and a tendency toward mediocrity
3 : dominated by commercial and industrial interests

That word, I do not think he knows what it really means (or did you think bourgeois meant the upper-crust of society?). We're you trying to say FTR's honest commentary is elitist simply because the international courts may find Bush Inc. guilty of war crimes? You know, when bourgeois is used as a sarcastic pejorative, it's usually (historically) from a Marxist perspective. Wow man, you're analysis is so... Pointless.

Considering the erosion of the Middle-Class in America, perhaps a contemporary use of the word bourgeois can accurately describe the upper-class, the funny thing is that now you've got the uneducated proletariat defending upper-class capitalists like Bush. Isn't that special?

RedBstrd

RedBstrd

Riverside, CA
April 2004

MAR 10, 2009 07:23 PM

NadirByte said:
Oh, my, how incendiary a topic, and so critically bourgeois. I am so impressed puke



Yes, outrage to war crimes is clearly a bourgeois pastime. No genuine leftist could possibly value life and believe in justice. Those values are bourgeois and suspect. whatever

Towelly

Towelly

Philadelphia, PA
January 2007

MAR 10, 2009 07:55 PM

RedBstrd said:

NadirByte said:
Oh, my, how incendiary a topic, and so critically bourgeois. I am so impressed puke



Yes, outrage to war crimes is clearly a bourgeois pastime. No genuine leftist could possibly value life and believe in justice. Those values are bourgeois and suspect. whatever



Well, to be fair, as a subscriber to feudalism, I know that I have no concern for life and justice. Well, for the serfs, anyway. . . whatever

JackWolfe

JackWolfe

I'm lost
February 2009

MAR 10, 2009 10:45 PM

Hrm. Kids.

Neyrissa

Neyrissa

SUICIDEGIRL

United Kingdom

MAR 11, 2009 12:35 AM

The US doesn't recognise the UN count in the Hague? I had no idea...that's disturbing. Really fucking disturbing.

motorfirebox

motorfirebox

Pittsburgh, PA
March 2004

MAR 11, 2009 01:01 AM

i don't believe we ever have. part of it is stiffnecked pride; part of it is a fear--valid, i think--that participation may subject our troops to charges that basically stem from the fact that they're american. this is especially relevant given the ICC's questionable application of justice, and the problems the UN in general has with making good choices on who is and isn't a bad guy.

DanD

DanD

United Kingdom
June 2005

MAR 11, 2009 04:22 AM

Yes, well we'll be doing the same with Tony Bleurgh so America, you are not alone!

dre1919

dre1919

Lees Summit, MO
August 2004

MAR 11, 2009 05:59 AM

The United Nations are a joke. Always have been, sadly, may always be. If it worked the way it was truly intended, or as it could, many things would be done differently.

RedBstrd

RedBstrd

Riverside, CA
April 2004

MAR 11, 2009 03:49 PM

dre1919 said:
The United Nations are a joke. Always have been, sadly, may always be. If it worked the way it was truly intended, or as it could, many things would be done differently.



That's complete nonsense. Read up a little on things that the UN has accomplished instead of rehashing conservative talking points, please.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

UNITED NATIONS ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1. Deploying more than 35 peace-keeping missions. There are presently 16 active peace-keeping forces in operation.

2. Credited with negotiating 172 peaceful settlements that have ended regional conflicts

3. The UN has enabled people in over 45 countries to participate in free and fair elections

4. Development - The system's annual disbursements, including loans and grants, amount to more than $10 billion.

5. UNICEF spends more than $800 million a year, primarily on immunization, health care, nutrition and basic education in 138 countries.

6. UN Human Rights Commission has focused world attention on cases of torture, disappearance, and arbitrary detention and has generated international pressure.

7. UN Conference eon Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, resulted in treaties on bio-diversity and climate change.

8. Has helped minimize the threat of a nuclear war by inspecting nuclear reactors in 90 [nations].

9. Over 300 international treaties, on topics as varied as human rights conventions to agreements on the use of outer space and seabed.

10. The International Court of Justice has helped settle international disputes involving territorial issues, diplomatic relations, hostage-taking, and economic rights.

11. The UN was a major factor in bringing about the downfall of the apartheid system.

12. More than 30 million refugees fleeing war, famine or persecution have received aid from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

13. Aiding Palestinian Refugees with free schooling, essential health care, relief assistance and key social services virtually without interruption. There are 2.9 million refugees in the Middle East served by UNRWA.

14. Alleviating Chronic Hunger and Rural Poverty in Developing Countries, providing credit that has benefited over 230 million people in nearly 100 developing countries.

15. The Africa Project Development Facility has helped entrepreneurs in 25 countries to find financing for new enterprises. The Facility has completed 130 projects which represent investments of $233 million and the creation of 13,000 new jobs, saving some $131 million in foreign exchange annually.

16. Promoting Women's Rights ­have supported programs and projects to improve the quality of life for women in over 100 countries, including credit and training, marketing opportunities, etc.

17. Providing Safe Drinking Water ­available to 1.3 billion people in rural areas during the last decade.

18. Eradicating Smallpox ­ through vaccinations and monitoring. Helped wipe out polio from the Western Hemisphere, with global eradication expected soon.

19. Pressing for Universal Immunization of polio, tetanus, measles, whooping cough, diphtheria and tuberculosis - ­has a 80% immunization rate, saving the lives of more than 3 million children each year.

20. Reducing child mortality rates, halved since 1960, increasing the average life expectancy from 37 to 67 years.

21. Fighting parasitic diseases, such as saving the lives of 7 million children from going blind from the river blindness and rescued many others from guinea worm and other tropical diseases.

22. Promoting investment in developing countries ­promoting entrepreneurship and self-reliance, industrial cooperation and technology transfer and cost-effective, ecologically-sensitive industry.

23. Reducing the effects of natural disasters ­early warning system, which utilizes thousands of surface monitors as well as satellites, has provided information for the dispersal of oil spills and has predicted long-term droughts.

24. Providing food to victims of emergencies ­ Over two million tons of food each year. 30 million people facing acute food shortages in 36 countries benefited from this assistance last year.

25. Clearing land mines - The United Nations is leading an international effort to clear land minds from Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, El Salvador, Mozambique, Rwanda and Somalia.

26. Protecting the ozone layer & global warming­, highlighting the damage caused to the earth's ozone layer. As a result there has been a global effort to reduce chemical emissions of substances that have caused the depletion of the ozone.

27. Preventing over-fishing.

28. Limiting deforestation and promoting sustainable forestry development ­in 90 countries.

29. Cleaning up pollution ­encouraged adversaries such as Syria and Israel, and Turkey and Greece to work together to clean up beaches. As a result, more than 50% of the previously polluted beaches are now usable.

30. Protecting consumers' health ­have established standards for over 200 food commodities and safety limits for more than 3,000 food contaminants.

31. Reducing fertility rates ­ Family planning programs. Women in developing countries are having fewer children ­ from six births per woman in the 1960s to 3.5 today. In the 1960s, only 10% of the world's families were using effective methods of family planning. The number now stands at 55 percent.

32. Fighting drug abuse ­Reduce demand for illicit drugs, suppress drug trafficking, and has helped farmers to reduce their economic reliance on growing narcotic crops by shifting farm production toward other dependable sources of income.

33. Improving global trade relations ­ The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has worked to obtain special trade preferences for developing countries to export their products to developed countries with fair prices.

34. Promoting economic reform ­ Together with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations has helped many countries improve their economic management, offered training for government finance officials, and provided financial assistance to countries experiencing temporary balance of payment difficulties.

35. Promoting worker rights ­worked to guarantee freedom of the right to association, the right to organize, collective bargaining, setting worker safety standards, the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples, promote employment and equal remuneration and has sought to eliminate discrimination and child labor.

36. Introducing improved agricultural techniques and reducing costs ­Resulted in improved crop yields, Asian rice farmers have saved $12 million on pesticides and governments over $150 a year in pesticide subsidies.

37. Promoting stability and order in the world's oceans ­global agreement for the protection, preservation and peaceful development of the oceans.

38. Improving air and sea travel ­Setting safety standards for sea and air travel, making air travel the safest mode of transportation.

39. Protecting intellectual property ­Protection for new inventions and maintains a register of nearly 3 million national trademarks. artists, composers and authors worldwide.

40. Promoting the free flow of information ­free of censorship and culturally unbiased, aid to develop and strengthen communication systems, established news agencies and supported an independent press.

41. Improving global communications ­ Regulated international mail delivery, coordinated use of the radio spectrum, promoted cooperation in assigning positions for stationary satellites, and established international standards for communications, thereby ensuring the unfettered flow of information around the globe.

42. Empowering the voiceless ­recognize the needs and contributions of groups usually excluded from decision-making such as the aging, children, youth, homeless, indigenous an disabled people.

43. Establishing "children as a zone of peace" ­ From El Salvador to Lebanon, Sudan to former Yugoslavia, provide vaccines and other assistance desperately needed by children caught in armed conflict.

44. Generating worldwide commitment in support of the needs of children ­more than 150 governments have committed to reaching over 20 specific measurable goals to radically improve children's lives by the year 2000.

45. Improving education in developing countries ­60% of adults in developing countries can now read and write, and 80 percent of children in these countries attend school.

46. Improving literacy for women ­Raise the female literacy rate in developing countries from 36 percent in 1970 to 56 percent in 1990.

47. Safeguarding and preserving historic cultural and architectural sites ­protected through the efforts of UNESCO, and international conventions have been adopted to preserve cultural property.

48. Facilitating academic and cultural exchanges encouraged scholarly and scientific cooperation, networking of institutions and promotion of cultural expressions, including those of minorities and indigenous people.

Toku666

Toku666

Columbus, OH
May 2004

MAR 11, 2009 04:16 PM

Not to mention the rhetorical argument that if everybody is unhappy with the deal (which is UN MO IMO) then it was probably a pretty good compromise settlement.

I know that's glib, but it makes the dopey far-right talking points just that much more absurd. It's sort of like when any of the people throwing the party you're at get a little too prowly and defensive around their bar. wink

MrCrisp

MrCrisp

I'm lost
August 2004

MAR 11, 2009 04:45 PM

dre1919 said:
The United Nations are a joke. Always have been, sadly, may always be. If it worked the way it was truly intended, or as it could, many things would be done differently.



well, not with that kind of attitude.

motorfirebox

motorfirebox

Pittsburgh, PA
March 2004

MAR 12, 2009 10:46 AM

edit: nm, i'm stuppid.

the US does not subject itself to compulsory jurisdiction from the ICJ--that is, it allows the ICJ to take jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis. "compulsory" jurisdiction, as it relates to the ICJ, is kind of a joke--nations have to formally declare that you are submitting to compulsory jurisdiction, and they can withdraw whenever they like.

SockPuppet

SockPuppet

I'm lost
July 2006

MAR 12, 2009 04:36 PM

motorfirebox said:
i don't believe we ever have. part of it is stiffnecked pride; part of it is a fear--valid, i think--that participation may subject our troops to charges that basically stem from the fact that they're american. this is especially relevant given the ICC's questionable application of justice, and the problems the UN in general has with making good choices on who is and isn't a bad guy.



Mm. I don't see how your links support your argument. But whatever whatever ...

Re: "ever have": that would be since the ICC's establishing in 2002. The US president at the time was GWB. That - I hope - goes a long way to explaining that refusal. IMO, a fear of being called to account by the rest of the world would have gone a long way toward curbing the US's decision to go into Iraq.

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