Thread: Bush and Blair face trail at the Hague

I am tired of all the Mitt witt banter. Finally someone print worthy is calling for the two amigos to be tried.

http://news.yahoo.com/tutu-bush-blai...094855285.html

LONDON (AP) — Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Desmond Tutu called Sunday for Tony Blair and George Bush to face prosecution at the International Criminal Court for their role in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq

Tutu, the retired Anglican Church's archbishop of South Africa, wrote in an op-ed piece for The Observer newspaper that the ex-leaders of Britain and the United States should be made to "answer for their actions."

The Iraq war "has destabilized and polarized the world to a greater extent than any other conflict in history," wrote Tutu, who was awarded the Nobel prize in 1984.

"Those responsible for this suffering and loss of life should be treading the same path as some of their African and Asian peers who have been made to answer for their actions in the Hague," he added.

The Hague, Netherlands, based court is the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal and has been in operation for 10 years. So far it has launched prosecutions only in Africa, including in Sudan, Congo, Libya and Ivory Coast.

Tutu has long been a staunch critic of the Iraq war, while others opposed to the conflict — including playwright Harold Pinter — have previously called for Bush and Blair to face prosecution at the Hague.

"The then-leaders of the U.S. and U.K. fabricated the grounds to behave like playground bullies and drive us further apart. They have driven us to the edge of a precipice where we now stand — with the specter of Syria and Iran before us," said Tutu, who last week withdrew from a conference in South Africa due to Blair's presence at the event.

While the International Criminal Court can handle cases of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, it does not currently have the jurisdiction to prosecute crimes of aggression. Any potential prosecution over the Iraq war would likely come under the aggression category.

The U.S. is among nations which do not recognize the International Criminal Court. I wonder why that is

In response to Tutu, Blair said he had great respect for the archbishop's work to tackle apartheid in South Africa, but accused him of repeating inaccurate criticisms of the Iraq war.

"To repeat the old canard that we lied about the intelligence is completely wrong as every single independent analysis of the evidence has shown," Blair said. "And to say that the fact that Saddam (deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein) massacred hundreds of thousands of his citizens is irrelevant to the morality of removing him is bizarre."

However, Blair said that "in a healthy democracy people can agree to disagree."

In Britain, a two-year long inquiry examining the buildup to the Iraq war and its conduct is yet to publish its final report. The panel took evidence from political leaders including Blair, military chiefs and intelligence officers. Two previous British studies into aspects of the war cleared Blair's government of wrongdoing.

The Iraq war was bitterly divisive in the U.K. and saw large public demonstrations. However, Blair subsequently won a 2005 national election, though with a reduced majority.

Not that I believe in Heaven or Hell, but I would take a warm spot in the pit to know these fucktards (Cheney for sure) were fucking roasting forever.

They don't really 'face' trial--Tutu simply suggested that they should face trial/be accountable. It's not as if they were indicted or anything has even been filed, right?

Not saying leaders shouldn't be held accountable, but this is pretty clearly never going to happen. And frankly, there are other leaders (from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East) guilty of far worse and more deliberate crimes. Guys who have done worse to their own people, forget about other countries. I don't believe you could prove Bush is guilty of war crimes, but who really knows.

You go Desmond!

Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki

They don't really 'face' trial--Tutu simply suggested that they should face trial/be accountable. It's not as if they were indicted or anything has even been filed, right?

Not saying leaders shouldn't be held accountable, but this is pretty clearly never going to happen. And frankly, there are other leaders (from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East) guilty of far worse and more deliberate crimes. Guys who have done worse to their own people, forget about other countries. I don't believe you could prove Bush is guilty of war crimes, but who really knows.

sometimes you leave me speechless. okay, not speechless. totally overwhelmed by the cascading sensation of utter, merciless intellectual superiority.

well said, lad. well spoken!

Originally Posted by spook

sometimes you leave me speechless. okay, not speechless. totally overwhelmed by the cascading sensation of utter, merciless intellectual superiority.

well said, lad. well spoken!

Speechless would serve everyone well, in your case. Can we get you keyboardless as well? We've got plenty of dumb going on around here without you adding to it. And since you already pointed out that you set the bar for intellectualism pretty low, well...

Hate to ask WTF you were getting at but...do you think the article is stating that they do face trial? Or do you believe it could really happen? Sorry--you were pretty vague, so there are many options for stupidity this time.

Guys, reading comprehension issues? The article said, "While the International Criminal Court can handle cases of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, it does not currently have the jurisdiction to prosecute crimes of aggression. Any potential prosecution over the Iraq war would likely come under the aggression category". So no, shit isn't going to happen, but it would make my day if it did.

Originally Posted by liv2ski

crimes of aggression.

Spook, permission to roll out a tired Lebowski chestnut?

Originally Posted by commonlaw

Spook, permission to roll out a tired Lebowski chestnut?

but of course.

Originally Posted by liv2ski

So no, shit isn't going to happen, but it would make my day if it did.

I think this is why people are giving you shit. Well, not Dex - he's just being a smug moron again. Anyway - yeah - I'd like to see the US get outta Vietghanistan later this afternoon and put all that $$ and effort into state-of-the-art no-kill animal shelters, but I don't start a thread about it here. I also (seriously) would like to have a small herd of unicorns.

Bush and Blair need to get some rad handles like General Butt Naked. Everytime I read his name I smile because I think of a bunch of naked guys in neon wigs with AK's and not some monster who enslaved children and sometimes ate them.