Saturday, April 26, 2008
Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, Powell, Tenet, Rice, and Yoo Have All Committed War Crimes Punishable by Life in Prison, Death Or Impeachment
Anyone who violates the Geneva Convention by engaging in murder, torture, or inhuman treatment is guilty of a crime under U.S. law.Specifically, the War Crimes Act of 1996, a federal statute set forth at 18 U.S.C. § 2441, makes it a federal crime for any U.S. national, whether military or civilian, to violate the Geneva Convention
The statute applies not only to those who carry out the acts, but also to those who ORDER IT, know about it, or fail to take steps to stop it. The statute applies to everyone, no matter how high and mighty.
Indeed, anyone who is a policy-maker who helps create, promote, or justify policies that violate the Geneva Convention is guilty under 18 U.S.C. § 2441. See this, this, this, and this.
What Does This Mean?
Well, according to the Associated Press, Cheney, Ashcroft, Powell, Tenet, and Rice all approved torture, and Bush knew about and approved what they were doing (see also this).
In addition, in addition to Ashcroft, other high-level Justice Department officials such as John Yoo approved of and justified torture.
All of these people are guilty of war crimes under 18 U.S.C. § 2441.
18 U.S.C. § 2441 has no statute of limitations, which means that a war crimes complaint can be filed at any time. The penalty may be life imprisonment or -- if a single prisoner dies due to torture -- death. Since the U.S. military has admitted that they have tortured some prisoners to death, that means that Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, Powell, Tenet, Rice, and Yoo could all be sentenced to life in prison, or even death.
Additionally, violation of the war crimes act almost certainly constitutes a "high crime or misdemeanor" which would allow impeachment of such officials.
Indeed, many high-level officials in the U.S. and abroad have stated that those who crafted the torture policies are guilty of war crimes. For example, Colin Powell's former chief of staff stated that Dick Cheney might be guilty of war crimes. And Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohammad is calling for an international tribunal to try western leaders for war crimes over the Iraq war.
And for those who question whether waterboarding is torture, see this, this, this, and this.
Indeed, waterboarding is not the only form of tortures which has been used by the U.S. recently.
Finally, Donald Rumsfeld appears to have also committed war crimes. For example, the general in charge of the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq stated this week that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and other top administration officials ORDERED that inhuman treatment and torture be conducted as part of a deliberate strategy. This confirms what the Pullitzer prize-winning reporter who uncovered the Iraq prison torture scandal and the Mai Lai massacre in Vietnam previously wrote.
Alberto Gonzales probably also committed war crimes by promoting and covering up torture.
3 comments:
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seems pretty cut & dried.
ReplyDeleteMain obstacle to truth & justice, imho, seems to be
ultimately a lack of public awareness & will/knowledge for change,
but also lack of integrity and will in Congress, the Executive and the Courts to obey the Constitution, follow the law, apply it equally.
Your writings are helping to raise awareness and educate. This is the kind of stuff that will be taught in future history classes. The Oath needs to be drilled into our public servants and military. The Preamble to the Constitution is the guide for applying it, not the financial interests of private bankers and the oil industry. Our public institutions need to be engineered to serve the public interest first, and everyone, including special interests, will benefit.
14 Points could be a good issue to wedge between the emperors and the People's diminishing perception that they have clothes.
"fail to take steps to stop it."
You only mentioned torture, which is enough- however, there seem to be a myriad of other crimes- warrantless wiretapping, rendition, lying to Congress about Iraq WMD and 9/11, etc.
In addition, underneath the slimy rock of the Bush Administration lies the Federal Reserve, the IRS and the whole financial-military-industrial-intelligence-insurance-food-health complex
"fail to take steps to stop it."
It's possible millions fall into this category, depending on how wide you want to make it.
Hello! My name is William Bunker and I am running for Massachusetts House of Representatives.
ReplyDeleteI will press these charges against them to the extent of my authority.
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