General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIs there anything a President could do to be declared a war criminal??
After recent years, I wonder whether any President can get away with anything so long as it is done in the name of national security or "keeping our nation safe"?
As we now know, the Geneva Convention Rules do not apply to America, only to others. But you can bet your ass that if any of our troops were tortured in a similar way that we tortured prisoners, we would be crying to the United Nations to hold the torturers accountable. That's just the way it is.
Our moral standing in the world is almost nil. George W Bush destroyed it and Barack Obama has not restored it.
If we used chemical weapons on an enemy, what would be the excuse? Oh, we wouldn't do that, would we? I have become cynically numb...
morningfog
(18,115 posts)But, more seriously, no. I think they are immune to that sort of accountability.
geckosfeet
(9,644 posts)loyalsister
(13,390 posts)Likewise, the Iraq war was implemented after the law calling for it was passed.
geckosfeet
(9,644 posts)were crimes by any standard of humanity.
This is the nature of war. Nationalistic fervor incites humans to commit atrocities upon other humans and justify and rationalize it by all the mechanisms provided by and through the state.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)That is why the citizens in this country have no standing to prosecute Bush. The wars were endorsed by the people WE elected.
spanone
(135,635 posts)Joseph Ledger
(36 posts)Orrex
(63,085 posts)Of course, he'd be impeached long before that, so...
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)in print and on the air.
kentuck
(110,950 posts)But by other nations or the United Nations or the world at large?
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)he is going to be arrested and tried for war crimes.
Then secretary general Kofi Annan said that the Iraq war was illegal. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3661134.stm
He walked that back some later but everyone knew he meant it when he said it because it was true.
kentuck
(110,950 posts)former9thward
(31,802 posts)Where has the UN declared him to be a war criminal? Bush has been out of the country many times to give speeches since 2009. Where is your link that he will be arrested? People love to throw aground the phrase war criminal but they are unable to cite any specific laws or mechanisms on how these laws would be enforced. Or is it just a slogan?
kentuck
(110,950 posts)for that very reason. Unfortunately, I do not have a link?
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)former9thward
(31,802 posts)No evidence an actual government would move to arrest him. Citizen groups can't arrest people. Also no link that the UN says he is a war criminal. Look I think the war in Iraq was not justified but I also know that no country is going to arrest a former U.S. president. I live in real life. Others may differ.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)And the guy had to cancel a trip because of the threat of prosecution.
That is the real world.
former9thward
(31,802 posts)It had no legal effect. The member nations have to vote. They didn't. Someone in congress can stand up and say anything. Without a law being passed it means nothing. I don't know why he canceled but there is no evidence that he would seriously be prosecuted. I live in the real world. Don't like to base my views on what I wish things to be.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)You can try to pretend it didnt mean anything. But when Heads of state say something about their country and when the head of the UN makes a comment about international law, it means something.
You keep talking about the real world. Your claiming you live in it means nothing. You are deliberately ignoring facts.
former9thward
(31,802 posts)But that's cool. Whatever gets you through the day.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)You are selectively ignoring facts.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)masse.
Aside from that, no. Just like no Soviet, Russian, Chinese, British, French, Indian, Pakistani, etc head of state has ever been prosecuted by their own state for crimes committed against others.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)of course if the president was committing war crimes against americans en masse that would imply a civil war is underway, and in that case it we would be back to your point one. if the president's side won the civil war, no trial. if he lost - war crimes trial.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)Poor fucker would be wearing an orange jumpsuit in a matter of weeks...
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)I don't think that's what you mean, really. If the question is, as it should be, is there any President who will be charged and convicted of being a war criminal, then that is unlikely in the extreme. It won't happen, in the case of Bush or any other President. Why? Precedent. That precedent will not be set with regard to any US President.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)nt
kentuck
(110,950 posts)I don't think the torture or rendition policies are still in place? A lot of unacceptable things happen when you are at war.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)I don't see it happening, ever. Unless there was a civil war in which war crimes were committed and the president's side lost. I do think that presidents like bush, who waged a war of aggression, in addition to the torture (both clearly war crimes) can find themselves unable to travel abroad, like Kissinger or Pinochet. but bush doesn't give a shit about traveling abroad anyway. rendition would probably be difficult to prosecute as a war crime given the cover your ass requirement that the country the person is being sent to promise not to torture him. even though that is bullshit, it would be hard to prove.
jonthebru
(1,034 posts)They cover their asses quite well.
So the easy answer is probably not.
libodem
(19,288 posts)Just don't get too friendly with the interns. You could be threatened with impeachment.
do everything Bu$h did, but be a Democrat
treestar
(82,383 posts)Are you wishing that on us?
I was listening to the BBC news today - some of this stuff is America-centric. Find out what is going on in the rest of the world, and other countries do some pretty bad things, too.
leveymg
(36,418 posts)I hate to say it, law is simply the exercise of political power. Maybe, it's always been that way with the truly powerful in America and elsewhere.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)n2doc
(47,953 posts)At least, nowadays.
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)Isn't that what Tricky Dick said? And he would know.