"Planning and waging a war of aggression is the SUPREME international crime"- Robert Jackson, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, chief American prosecuter at the Nuremberg Tribunal

If it was good enough for the Germans and Japanese after WWII, it's good enough for Americans.

Arrest and EXECUTE.
NUREMBERG II 2009

IRAQ was a war of choice, plain and simple. crimes were committed, and people have to be held accountable.

Those who have been referred to as "nut cases" in recent times in the mainstream corporate media were:

(1) those who were were right about Iraq's lack of WMD;
(2) those who were right about Bush/Cheney manipulations of the intelligence;
(3) those who were right about the inevitable chaos and catastrophe that would result from the Iraq invasion as planned;
(4) those who were right about torture in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo and about who was responsible for it;
(5) those who were right about the hopelessness of trying to control Afghanistan;
(6) those who were right about the Bush/Cheney administration's plans to create a police state;
(7) those who were right about the dangers of the creative financial engineering on Wall Street and of related deregulation; and
(8) those who were right that an economic catastrophe was coming, in part because of the financial engineering and in part because of other factors.

And so the corporate media, which has no more credibility than the enormous pill-popping buffoon who is apparently the de facto head of the Republican Party, is calling those who believe we need to address the Bush/Cheney crimes "nut cases." We will see how this plays out.

Somewhere in a collection of Garrison Keillor's short pieces written during the 1990s-- "We Are Still Married", IIRC-- is a funny-because-it's-true musing on America as a "big two-hearted forgiving country".

I'm sorry for spoiling it with an imperfect paraphrase, but one of the more vivid bits of satire involves imagining what it would be like if Hitler survived and appeared on the network teevee morning shows to pimp a newly-published memoir.

Keillor suggests that breakfasting American viewers would pause between bites of toast to stare at the TV screen as the white-mustached Hitler gently and cheerfully deflects questions about his storied past: "Katie, that was a long time ago! I'm not about dwelling on the past-- a lot of things happened on both sides, we all have our regrets. The important thing is how we face each new day, and what we do to make the future a better place..."

It springs to mind every time I hear Obama (or anyone else) piously advocate "moving forward"-- without even wondering aloud if maybe there's a down side they're not seeing.

· Yr Obd't Servant

http://ccrjustice.org/prosecutebushofficials

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Nice post, Kivals.

Robert Parry almost invariably does a deft job of exposing the hidden biases and shortcomings of professional journalists like the NY Times Nicholas Kristof and Dana Millbank of the Washington Post.

With Kristof, it is a double standard in perception: Bashir's militarism maims children, so he should be prosecuted as an international war criminal at the Hague, but former president George W. Bush's crimes, of similar but far greater magnitude, "should be handled discreetly by his friends" by means of a special "nonpartisan" investigative Commission. Kristof writes op-ed opinion for the Times. Robert Parry exposes the intellectual inconsistency of Kristof's selective moral outrage.

Dana Millbank's satirical slant involves news reporting, not opinion. The sarcasm heaped upon Patrick Leahy (and John Conyers' earlier efforts at investigating Bush White House wrongdoing) absolutely drips. Millbank emphasizes how the press and spectator seats at the Committee hearing were only half full, and how Senator Spector ridiculed Leahy publicly. The implication was left that Senator Russ Feingold was also opposing the Truth Commission idea, although I do not believe that is accurate.

In any event, Robert Parry deserves a gold star for engaging in good journalism, highlighting the shortcomings and double standards of some very highly placed colleagues.

Bill from Saginaw

Excellent analysis by Mr. Parry.

Milbank and Kristoff are moral midgets, as is the bulk of the US media.

Firstly let me state that I am proudly one of the "nut cases" who think international law and war-crimes tribunals should apply to leaders of big countries as well as small ones. I hope we are in the majority, but even if not I know we are right.

I am elated that Mr. al-Bashir is facing arrest if ever he wishes to leave Sudan, and will face justice sooner or later for his alleged crimes. Quoting from wiki; Lady Justice “Justitia” is often depicted wearing a blindfold. This is done in order to indicate that justice is (or should be) meted out objectively, without fear or favour, regardless of the identity, power, or weakness: blind justice and blind impartiality. Blind Justice is the theory that law should be viewed objectively. That means that determination of innocence or guilt should be made without bias or prejudice. It is the idea behind the United States Supreme Court motto “Equal Justice Under Law”.

I’m glad that the ICC is prosecuting President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, because this will require the likewise to be meted out to Omert, Blair and Bush, and if that is not the the case then the entire foundation of international law, war crimes and crimes against humanity becomes exactly what al-Bashir is saying today, “just a tool of the new colonialism”. And every self styled yahoo leader, breaking the laws that protect us as humanity is vindicated. The resulting mayhem as globally, law, and then governments break down, thereafter will make local extremism and terrorism look like the good old days.

When we say this or that country has shared “values” we are talking about respect for government based on law. The unfortunate fact is that right now there is not much difference between what Al-Bashir ordered and oversaw in Sudan and what Israel or the US have unleashed. Shared values means shared respect for the agreed laws.

For those who say “putting Bush in the dock can never happen”, I draw your attention to the island of Guadalupe, where the entire population of underpaid and over exploited workers have just succeeded to establish a new social contract with their French government, through a total strike, civil disobedience, solidarity and organized representation through labour unions etc.

Now, there is a little island in the Caribbean with more gonadal fortitude than the entire population of the USA combined. Leaving such a serious infringement of your own laws to these bought and paid for political power whores in Washington can with certainty only insure either a white-wash or a witch hunt, since they have shown at every turn, total contempt for their constituents, their constitution, and the laws under which they are supposed to serve.

Bush and his cronies will only face justice if the American people stand up and DEMAND it. People power action is absolutely necessary today if you want to take your country back from these criminals. You can do it now or loose some more freedom, but at the end of the day no one will hand your country back to you, certainly not the flip-flopping smoothy Obama and his shower of Zionist-Banksters, in sheep’s clothing. You will have to fight to grab and tear your country back for yourselves!

absolutely brilliant essay by Parry.

Kristoff is wellmeaning in his concern for petty tyrants oppressing their people -- but parry is correct in pointing out the double standard:

"petty tyrants are to be prosecuted"

BECAUSE they are petty tyrants.....

but the GREAT TYRANT of them all -- the ONE at the CENTER of the WHEEL oF TYRANTS throughout the world because of ITS imperialism

the USA --

is NOT to be prosecuted.

"If the three most prominent members were all Republicans, no one on the Right could denounce it as a witch hunt - and its criticisms would have far more credibility," Kristof wrote.

I disagree. Republicans have always denounced the left and hopefully willnot be viewed as credible for a very long time. Kristof must not have heard of Joe McCarthy. Even in positions of weakness, the Republicans blast the far left and use the word "socialism" like its a bad word to insight paranoia on an uneducated American public. The left now needs its own Joe McCarthy to blacklist neoconservatives (the REAL domestic terrorists inside the USA) and to throw them in jail and, to paraphrase their idol George W. Bush Jr., "those who harbor them." Let it start with the neoconservatives and then go to those so-called "Christians" who agreed with the "war on terror" out of sheer hypocrisy to their faith, such as Assembly of God members, and throw them in jail too. Political cleansings are necessary from time to time, especially when there is empirical evidence to support the neoconservatives, and some Christians, as being to blame for most of the negative events Americans have experienced over the last several decades. Besides, Republicans cheat in elections and therefore the GOP should be rendered illegal. Just as the Republicans have thrown Communists in jail, so to should Republicans suffer the same fate. Especially Rush Limbaugh - who someone ought to assassinate. Who would defend the neoconservatives and fundametalists against such treatment should it happen? Socialists, gay people, feminists, Muslims... other "undesirables" in the opinion of neoconservatives and fundamemtalist Christians that treated aforementioned groups as supposedly "un-American" and un-patriotic?" It would be a cause for celebration if neoconservative ideology is expunged from the USA by portraying it as an un-American idea - much like how Republicans did this for left-wing notions of governance and economics for, again, several decades.

Even though I believe that George W. Bush Jr. and his cohorts deserve to be tried at The Hague, I think comparing President al-Bashir to President Bush Jr. does go a little too far. Bush Jr. was more kind to USA citizens than al Bashir was to those living in Darfur. To my knowlege, Bush Jr did not order military personnel to kill men and to rape women and children inside the USA (Iraq and Afghanistan? Well that more than likely is true). I think the comparison is a little much. There is nothing more vicious about a Head of State ordering the deaths of thousands or millions of his own people. Bush Jr. may not have been a nice person, but at least he did not commit genocide on USA citizens.

Darfur, as horrible as it is, has always been a "safe" conflict for people like Mr Kristof — and a panoply of Hollywood stars — to protest and demand US action on. It allows them to appear to have something resembling humanity, and costs them nothing.

Yes, this article by Parry doesn't pull any punches, and neither does the following in methodically and rationally addressing the excess of power that Bush grasped --- even though he did to exercise all of it to the dangerous extent that it was available:

Is It Now Okay to Talk about Hitler’s Assumption of Dictatorial Power?
by Jacob G. Hornberger

http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2009-03-04.asp

Without prison time for Bush, Cheney, Rumafeld,...don't be living in this country when the next Republican comes to power.

A searing piece by Parry, and many good posts. I think he puts his finger right on what is at stake here: nothing less than the writing, and the righting, of our bloody recent history. Be thankful we have him at least, and let's hope he stays on this issue. Kristof's asinine suggestion of handing the ball over to Republicans, who gave no quarter when thrashing Clinton for a pecadillo, would be utter suicide for the cause of truth. The people Kristof would honor with the scales of justice should be considered only as potentially good and perhaps cooperative witnesses. This is an opportunity to crush at its core the Republican Party as presently constituted, which, it seems to me, could only be a good thing for American society. What positive elements remain from the fragments could be absorbed elsewhere, in confluence, say, with disaffected or left-wing democrats and independents. The mere fact that the issue of prosecuting the Bush gang is being prominently discussed is absolutely crucial, the breach through which the truth, or part of the truth, might just slip out by its own inertia. Parry's only hesitancy is in neglecting to mention that, as regards Darfur, the U.S. and Israel have not been inactive in their material support for the SLA and JEM. But, one step at a time, and more things could come out of a thorough, top to bottom, judicial investigation of a great many of the acts and policies carried out by the recent U.S. administration and the men and women who acted in its name.

The big picture is that the political ruling elite are working very diligently to keep the lid on the boiling pot of political turmoil here in the USA.

If the "war crimes" issue or the "financial bailout" issue boils over, the elite know their carriers and power will evaporate, quickly. Indeed, if one boils over the other will also.

This is a zero sum political game.

"Most notably, Kristof doesn't call for prosecuting former President George W. Bush for war crimes, despite hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who have died as a result of Bush's illegal invasion of their country. Many Iraqi children also don't have hands - or legs or homes or parents."

To which one must add that about three million Iraqis have been driven into being refugees, either internally or externally, by the occupying forces' violence against Iraqis and the internicine conflict unleashed by the occupation of Iraq by Evil Empire.

Nice guy, this Kristof, albeit typical of American mainstream reporters: they are very good at mingling in the affairs of other countries and pointing fingers at others, while massive crimes are being committed by their own country's government, domestically and abroad.

Philip Zelikow, Mr. 9/11 cover-up! Why not George W.'s father while he's at it?

NOT PROSECUTING and finding them guilty -- with all evidence so public from day one and doesn't even need a ten year old to see through the lies --

amounts to allowing a poisonous BOIL on the body to spread its germs until one day - it reaches the inner organs and systems and fills up all the systems -- and the body eventually goes...........aaaaakkkhhhhhhhhh.

you don't "cure" a cancer by forgetting that it's there because you are trying to "move on" thinking that the cancer will go away by itself through pretense that it's "no longer there".

only perpetual fools believe this business of "international laws". This euphemistic term is only a recent dressing of age old, but not yet worn out methods of control. The methods are occasionally upgraded to keep the dim witted clueless.

Who is the International community?
Who runs the World Bank?
Who runs the WTO
Who runs the Unitied nation
Who funds the World Court
What is the ICC, and what was the US past and present role regarding this schizofrenic organization?
Who prioritizes its agenda
Who major coporations funds the NGOs, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam etc etc
Why would Colin Powel call these so called humanitarean orgaizations "US military force multipliers"

Why it it that about 99% so to speak of victims of the Worls court and ICC are third world, non western allied leaders.

Yes, you can fool all the people all the time, It just depend on how you do it.

And by the way, the deep psychic roots of this neo racist, neo colonialist reflex is evident in both the right and the left.

snydly

Privatize Nuremberg.
5 million people sending $10/month for bounty on war criminals could employ a lot of unemployed ambulance chasers.
PRIVATIZE NUREMBERG.

please arrest Bill Clinton and Obama too. 500,000 Iraqi women and children died under the sanctions and Mr. Clinton bombed civilians in Serbia and Iraq. Also arrest Obama for continuing the war(s) and has also been in charge while civilians died. Please don't be so selective in your outrage and demands for justice. Don't be blinded by party loyalty. That is if you really want justice.

and if you want to get outraged about corruption, look up John Conyer's wife, Monica. That is if you progressive want justice. Maybe you just want your enemies punished while democrats do the same things.