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Howdy Pilgrim
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Saturday, April 12, 2003
"The Facts And The Law Do Not Matter"
"War Crimes, Genocide, and 'Democratic Immunity' "
Subj:"The Facts And The Law Do Not Matter".... Fwd War Crimes, Genocide, and 'Democratic Immunity'
Date:4/10/2003 2:27:32 PM US Eastern Standard Time
From: jailmo@sbcglobal.net
Reply-to: jailmo@sbcglobal.net ( Jail 4 Missouri Judges)
To: jailmo@sbcglobal.net ( Jail 4 Missouri Judges)
"The Facts And The Law Do Not Matter"
-- Linda Kennedy
I think this report illustrates two facts that must be
recognized if one is to deal rationally with the Corrupt Courts.
1. The Facts And The Law Do Not Matter
2. Publicity Matters
Conclusion... Get Thee First Undrstanding,
Then Get Thy Printing Press.
==============
Fwd ------------------------------------------ begins
From: dave@davesweb.cnchost.com
To: dave@davesweb.cnchost.com
Subject: War Crimes, Genocide, and 'Democratic Immunity'
Date sent: Wed, 09 Apr 2003 10:22:24 -0700
Send reply to: dave@davesweb.cnchost.com
Greetings from the Center for an Informed America
(http://davesweb.cnchost.com/). Please forward this newsletter
widely. If this was forwarded to you and you would like to receive
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Special Bulletin:
War Crimes, Genocide, and 'Democratic Immunity'
April 9, 2003
The Sunday, April 6 edition of the Los Angeles Times was, as usual,
filled with page after page of jingoistic drivel celebrating America
as The Great and Noble Liberator; almost none of this was worth
reading, but much of it was no doubt eagerly lapped up by the
newspaper's readers nonetheless.
Very few of those readers, it's safe to say, stumbled across the most
important story that ran that day. Tucked safely away on page A32,
among other neglected stories in the "In Brief" section, the report
ran just five sentences -- but those five sentences had far more to
say about the world we live in than the 31 pages of war 'reporting'
that preceded them:
The Belgian Senate approved a measure to gut a war crimes law,
bringing an end to lawsuits filed against former President
Bush, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon.
In a 36-22 vote with five abstentions, the Senate approved an
amendment to invalidate the cases. The House of
Representatives had already done so.
The law, adopted in 1993, sought to prosecute war crimes and
genocide wherever they occurred. But lawmakers said it was
never intended for use against democratic countries.
(http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-briefs6.2apr06,1,1655935.story)
Now almost everyone would agree, publicly at least, that there was
nothing wrong with the law as originally drafted. Genocide is
genocide regardless of where and by whom it is committed, and it
should, I think we can all agree, be prosecuted wherever it occurs.
Nevertheless, under the new and improved law, it is perfectly okay
for "democratic countries" to commit war crimes and acts of genocide.
There are now, I guess, 'democratic' war crimes and acts of genocide,
and 'undemocratic' war crimes and acts of genocide. International law
is now only concerned with prosecuting 'undemocratic' war crimes and
acts of genocide.
The April 6 Times report was actually the second time in recent days
that the esteemed periodical has buried coverage of this particular
story. On Thursday, April 3, strategically placed on page A26, again
in the "In Briefs" section, was this five-sentence report:
Belgium's House of Representatives voted to curtail a war
crimes law that was once hailed as a tool for global justice
but became a diplomatic liability when world democratic
leaders were targeted. The changes should bring an end to
lawsuits against former President Bush and others.
The law sought to prosecute war crimes and genocide wherever they
occur. The revised law would apply only to crimes in countries
lacking democratic credentials and unable to provide fair trials.
Senate approval is expected today.
(http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-briefs3.2apr03,1
,7493234.story)
This wording is somewhat misleading, since the revised law actually
applies only to crimes committed by countries lacking democratic
credentials and unable to provide fair trials. Conversely, the
revised law does not apply to crimes committed by countries that have
democratic credentials and are able to provide fair trials.
This bit of legal chicanery is apparently premised on the dubious
notion that "democratic" countries can police themselves and
therefore are, for all intents and purposes, above international law.
In other words, America no longer has to just act as though it is
above the law; now, it literally is above the law.
Of course, in order for the revised law to be applied properly,
someone has to decide who holds the proper "democratic credentials"
and who does not. Certain minimum standards, presumably, will have to
be met for a country to be certified as having the "democratic
credentials" to handle its own war crimes prosecutions.
For example, you wouldn't want war crimes trials to be held by
countries that openly advocate torturing suspects and ... oh, wait a
minute ... that's not right ... what I meant to say is that you
wouldn't want war crimes trials to be held in countries that allow
secret, extra-judicial 'military tribunals' ... oh, wait another
minute ... that's not right either ... what I really meant to say is
that you wouldn't want war crimes trials to be held in countries that
allow uncharged suspects to be held indefinitely and incommunicado
... oh, wait ... that's still not right ... never mind ...
What I was trying to say is that there is actually a very simple
system for determining who has the proper "democratic credentials"
and who does not: the United States and its very close friends have
them, and whoever is designated as the 'enemy' does not. It's
probably entirely coincidental, by the way, that this legal revision,
quickly and quietly rushed through both houses of the Belgian
Congress, comes just in time to prevent Colin Powell from becoming a
repeat offender, and George W. Bush from following in his father's
footsteps.
Team Bush now has 'democratic immunity' for any actions it might
choose to take.
War crimes? What war crimes? Haven't you heard? We're above the law.
In fact, we are the law.
(Permission is hereby granted for this material to be widely
distributed
and reposted, provided that the content is not altered in any way.)
-- The Corrupt Courts Are Your Last Stop
Before The Poor House And Prison
Think About It !
jailmo@sbcglobal.com
http://www.jail4judges.org
http://www.wbflegalreform.com
posted by Vetzine
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