Cheney and Kissinger to attend Thatcher funeral

[muriel_volestrangler]

it's like a critical mass of evil.

Dick Cheney, the former US vice-president and driving force behind the country's invasion of Iraq, is to attend Lady Thatcher's funeral on Wednesday, Downing Street has confirmed.

No 10 said Cheney would attend with his wife Lynne. Other high-profile US guests include Dr Henry Kissinger, the former US secretary of state in the Nixon and Ford administrations and a key cold war figure, and the maverick rightwinger Ross Perot.
...
Obama declined to attend the funeral himself, opting instead for a comparatively low-key delegation, with no serving members of his administration present. Michelle Bachmann, the ultra-conservative former presidential candidate, will attend with two other Republicans from Congress.

Downing Street indicated on Tuesday that Cheney was attending in a personal capacity, not as an official US representative. Nonetheless, his presence is likely to enrage many. As George W Bush's number two between 2001-2009, Cheney was one of the chief architects of the war in Iraq.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/16/dick-cheney-attending-thatcher-funeral

[rocktivity]

1. Kissinger's not dead?

I knew that Cheney was...


rocktivity

[backscatter712]

22. That's a second person that needs a wooden stake through his heart...

along with the decapitation and garlic in his mouth.

[proud2BlibKansan]

64. And still not in handcuffs.

[niyad]

2. oh, please, SOMEBODY arrest those two as the war criminals they are.

[peace13]

13. My first thought as well!

May their plane be diverted to a country that has the conviction to do the right thing!

What a sweet day that would be. Upon conviction Shooter could give that new heart to someone who deserves it!

[rurallib]

16. probably thousands of us had that as their first thought

[hifiguy]

15. Yep.

And, after a full and fair trial of the highest possible procedural probity, promptly executed following the inevitable verdict of guilty of crimes against humanity.

[RZM]

27. No country would even begin to think about detaining them

Let alone trying and executing them. I'm not sure people grasp what a big deal that would be.

[hifiguy]

54. One can, however, dream that the world

is a just place.

[monmouth3]

68. I thought Cheney, Rummy Condi and Bush were not allowed to leave the country or fear of arrest warra

nts...No?

[niyad]

70. I think it is more a matter of being afraid to leave because they might get arrested. one can dream

[WinkyDink]

3. That pretty much says it all about HER, right there.

[NV Whino]

4. Oh boy. That's going to be a circus.

[WinkyDink]

7. They're lucky it's not the gallows.

[tularetom]

5. Is that a bit risky for those two assholes?

What if their plane is forced to land in one of the countries where they are wanted for war crimes?

[malaise]

6. I hope someone arrests both of those criminals n/t

[leftyohiolib]

8. hopefully someone will just tuck them inside the box with that idiot

[geek tragedy]

9. Call INTERPOL and the ICC and the Hague. nt

[n2doc]

10. Too bad someone can't launch a huge stream of spit at them.

The amount of pain those fuckers collectively have caused the world is immense.

[libodem]

11. Ewwww

Shiver. Involuntary viseral reaction of disgust.

[DinahMoeHum]

12. Birds of a feather flocking together. . .

[Sheldon Cooper]

14. It's like a swirling vortex of evil.

[BrotherIvan]

20. I know right?

I guess there's no further proof needed that Thatcher was evil than by looking at who wants to haunt her funeral. Blech.

[Erose999]

17. Hey, if Cheney dies while he's over there they can bury him in the same hole. It'll make the grave

pissing that much easier.

[bowens43]

18. birds of a feather etc.......

[LuvNewcastle]

19. Their going to have to perform an exorcism and re-consecrate

that church.

[joeybee12]

21. Axis of Evil...nt

[TwilightGardener]

23. I do think the WH should be sending someone--I'll just go ahead and say it.

I think we could spare SOMEONE who is currently serving in the administration. I mean...Biden? Funerals are a Veep's job.

[Cleita]

26. They wouldn't for Hugo Chavez. Why should they for this serial murderer

and friend to serial murderers?

[TwilightGardener]

28. Er...because we aren't close allies, nor share a common bond, with Venezuela?

SERIOUSLY??

[Cleita]

33. The Brits do share a common bond with us. They hated her.

I believe it would have been worse for Brit/USA relations to send a high profile official like the Veep.

[TwilightGardener]

45. She was their prime minister--no matter how anyone feels about her politically, there is nothing

wrong with sending a representative of the administration to pay respects at a funeral. It's the grease that smooths international relations, especially with one of our closest allies.

[Cleita]

48. Let's reverse this. I assume if you are a DUer that you think

Dubya was a dirtbag of the highest order. When he dies, I would hope Tony Blair and all his bootlickers will be sent to the funeral. I would not want anyone from the royal family or present government there. As an American or I might question who is running England and exactly who they have good relationships with in this country.

[TwilightGardener]

52. I don't think politics, ideology or popularity should play a role in the decision--

If Obama doesn't send someone, it looks bad. There are plenty of people to choose from. If not Biden, why not Kerry? If not Kerry, because he's probably exhausted from his trip, how about an undersecretary of state? How about Hagel, he actually served in the Reagan administration and probably loved Thatcher (being a Repub and all)? Lew? Sebelius? WH staff--McDonough? Point is, I am certain they can spare SOMEONE.

[Cleita]

56. Probably because they all refused to go because they have principles. n/t

[TwilightGardener]

61. Because it's England. Their troops are still fighting side by side with ours

in Afghanistan. It's just the classy thing to do.

[LeftishBrit]

65. From my perspective in the UK...

I think there is little need for Obama or Biden to take even a slight risk, or to leave their own country at a time of tragedy, in order to attend this extravaganza. It's not as if American presidents and high-level dignitaries usually attended British Prime Ministers' funerals. I'm fairly sure they didn't for Callaghan, Heath, Wilson or Macmillan. Royalty perhaps (I think in the case of both Princess Diana's and the Queen Mother's funerals, it was the First Lady of the day who attended); but not politicians.

[RZM]

31. Because relations with Venezuela are bad right now

Chavez wouldn't have wanted Obama to send anybody anyway. Relations with Britain, OTOH, are quite good.

[Cleita]

34. And they will remain good as long as we don't honor this

woman any more than perfunctory courtesies.

[RZM]

36. Sounds like that's what the administration is doing

Not that it matters. If Obama attended himself do you really think Anglo-American relations would be affected in any way at all?

[Cleita]

38. I think it would be dangerous for him frankly.

Remember what she did to the Irish. They may retaliate.

[RZM]

41. Pretty safe to say the Irish will not bomb the funeral

Just a hunch, of course

[Cleita]

44. The Irish won't but the Provos might.

Maggie inflicted a lot of cruelty on them.

[RZM]

47. So they would blow up her corpse then?

Sounds like the definition of overkill.

[Cleita]

49. Whatever. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

29. Schultz and Baker are leading the presidential delegation

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/04/16/Schultz-Baker-to-lead-US-presidential-delegation-to-Thatcher-funeral/UPI-59111366091862/

For the funeral of a current dignitary, VP would be a good choice; but, for one who retired 23 years ago, two Secs of State from her time seems appropriate. And I think they're a bit better people than Cheney or Kissinger.

[TwilightGardener]

32. I think because it's Great Britain, we should go ahead and spring for a currently serving

member of the administration. It's nice that ancient SoS's are going, but there is no real sacrifice to sending someone to represent the WH. Just my opinion.

[Cleita]

46. +1000

[backscatter712]

67. Send a third-rate intern, with a tiny bouquet of wilted flowers. n/t

[Cleita]

24. Wonderful, and Michele Bachman too I understand.

I couldn't have picked a better delegation myself. But doesn't Kissinger have some kind of arrest warrant out there for him should he leave the USA?

[LeftishBrit]

25. Oh great, all we need in England....

[ellie]

30. Should Kissinger be leaving the country?

Aren't the French after him?

[Cleita]

35. I think it's the Swiss but it just might be a rumor. I couldn't

find anything concrete on it.

[ellie]

43. I thought it was the French because

one of their people was killed during the Allende coup but I can't tell you where I read that. It was a long time ago.

[Cleita]

50. I can't find any good information. Just some so so blogs and

message boards about it.

[ellie]

55. I'll look around and see what I can find

Edited to add:

I found a news article from the BBC about Kissinger being wanted as a witness to the disappearance of French citizens during Pinochet's reign but was not under any legal summons:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1357632.stm


And a couple of blog posts too. Here is one from Common Dreams;

http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0611-03.htm

Him being wanted for questioning is different than him being wanted for incarceration. It is easy to conflate the two because in my mind he is a war criminal extraordinaire.

[sadbear]

37. I hear they're going to dig up Pinochet so he can be there, too.

[Fawke Em]

39. Will Cheney be sporting this number?

[Ganja Ninja]

53. I believe he'll be wearing a top hat and cape from the Snidely Whiplash spring collection.

[KauaiK]

40. One can only hope both are arrested like Pinochet!

[Cleita]

51. That was in Spain. I doubt if the Brits will. n/t

[Spirochete]

57. The two worst people in the world

paying tribute to the third. Too bad they weren't at the Boston Marathon instead.

[Initech]

58. Cheney is still alive? Why hasn't he been arrested yet:

[spanone]

59. good time for the worlds' court to arrest the zombie dick

[Rex]

66. Good! They are closer to the Hague! Somebody round them up

after Maggie's funeral.

[lpbk2713]

69. Can we get Cheney to make a quick stop in Geneva?

Maybe they can arrest him.