tom_thinks
Thursday, June 24, 2004
Americans don't do bad things, so give us immunity!
From the InterPress Service via Commondreams
But thats not going to stop Bush's America! From today's Washington Post
Once again the world thinks we're acting like a**holes, but we keep on doing it anyway. Obviously the U.N. is aware of the abuses perpetrated by American troops and, rightly, believes they should be held accountable. The whole concept of American immunity from international law, in effect cripples the law. This policy of American exceptionalism is damaging to our interests and is one reason (among many) that this country is hated across the globe.
Bush is now saying to the Iraqis that American troops cannot be punished for any crimes they commit by Iraqis and that they'll have to trust the American authorities to deal with any incidents. So much for sovereignty.
This week there was a mass release of documents by the Bush administration in an attempt to quell complaints of secrecy. Bush is now attempting to distance himself from such documents. Wouldn't you?(Check out the National Security Archives to see them and lots of other stuff.)
Tom Englehardt has a great post on the subject, definitly worth reading. Also at the end of the post is a reprinting of an article by Jonathan Schell about the Bush administrations creative twisting of words and lanquage, also worth reading.
UNITED NATIONS - Faced with the prospect of a humiliating defeat, the United States abandoned its proposal to seek Security Council exemption for U.S. soldiers from possible war crime charges in future U.N. peacekeeping operations overseas.
Unable to muster the necessary nine votes in the 15-member Security Council, Washington jettisoned the draft resolution Wednesday following widespread opposition from an overwhelming majority of member states.
But thats not going to stop Bush's America! From today's Washington Post
The Bush administration has decided to take the unusual step of bestowing on its own troops and personnel immunity from prosecution by Iraqi courts for killing Iraqis or destroying local property after the occupation ends and political power is transferred to an interim Iraqi government, U.S. officials said.
Once again the world thinks we're acting like a**holes, but we keep on doing it anyway. Obviously the U.N. is aware of the abuses perpetrated by American troops and, rightly, believes they should be held accountable. The whole concept of American immunity from international law, in effect cripples the law. This policy of American exceptionalism is damaging to our interests and is one reason (among many) that this country is hated across the globe.
Bush is now saying to the Iraqis that American troops cannot be punished for any crimes they commit by Iraqis and that they'll have to trust the American authorities to deal with any incidents. So much for sovereignty.
This week there was a mass release of documents by the Bush administration in an attempt to quell complaints of secrecy. Bush is now attempting to distance himself from such documents. Wouldn't you?(Check out the National Security Archives to see them and lots of other stuff.)
Tom Englehardt has a great post on the subject, definitly worth reading. Also at the end of the post is a reprinting of an article by Jonathan Schell about the Bush administrations creative twisting of words and lanquage, also worth reading.
posted by Tom, 6/24/2004 01:08:00 PM
