 |
 |
Little War Criminals Get Punished, Big Ones Don’t
Paul Craig Roberts
Lew Rockwell.com
Thursday, July 17, 2008
National Public Radio has been spending much news time on Darfur in Western Sudan where a great deal of human suffering and death are occurring. The military conflict has been brought on in part by climate change, according to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Drought is forcing nomads in search of water into areas occupied by other claimants. No doubt the conflict is tribal and racial as well. The entire catastrophe is overseen by a government with few resources other than bullets.
Now an International Criminal Court prosecutor wants to bring charges against Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir, for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
I have no sympathy for people who make others suffer. Nevertheless, I wonder at the International Criminal Court’s pick from the assortment of war criminals? Why al-Bashir?
(Article continues below)
Is it because Sudan is a powerless state, and the International Criminal Court hasn’t the courage to name George W. Bush and Tony Blair as war criminals?
Bush and Blair’s crimes against humanity in Iraq and Afghanistan dwarf, at least in the number of deaths and displaced persons, the terrible situation in Darfur. The highest estimate of Darfur casualties is 400,000, one-third the number of Iraqis who have died as a result of Bush’s invasion. Moreover, the conflict in the Sudan is an internal one, whereas Bush illegally invaded two foreign countries, war crimes under the Nuremberg Standard. Bush’s war crimes were enabled by the political leaders of the UK, Spain, Canada, and Australia. The leaders of every member of the “coalition of the willing to commit war crimes” are candidates for the dock.
But of course the Great Moral West does not commit war crimes. War crimes are charges fobbed off on people demonized by the Western media, such as the Serbian Milosevic and the Sudanese al-Bashir.
Every week the Israeli government evicts Palestinians from their homes, steals their land, and kills Palestinian women and children. These crimes against humanity have been going on for decades. Except for a few Israeli human rights organizations, no one complains about it. Palestinians are defined as “terrorists,” and “terrorists” can be treated inhumanely without complaint.
Iraqis and Afghans suffer the same fate. Iraqis who resist US occupation of their country are “terrorists.” Taliban is a demonized name. Every Afghan killed – even those attending wedding parties – is claimed to be Taliban by the US military. Iraqis and Afghans can be murdered at will by American and NATO troops without anyone raising human rights issues.
The International Criminal Court is a bureaucracy. It has a budget, and it needs to do something to justify its budget. Lacking teeth and courage, it goes after the petty war criminals and leaves the big ones alone.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m for holding all governments accountable for their criminal actions. It is the hypocrisy to which I object. The West gives itself and Israel a pass while damning everyone else. Even human rights groups fall into the trap. Rights activists don’t see the buffoonery in their complaint that President Bush, who has violated more human rights than any person alive, is letting China off the hook for human rights abuses by attending the Olympics hosted by China.
President Bush claims that the enormous destruction and death he has brought to Iraq and Afghanistan are necessary in order for Americans to be safe. If we are accepting excuses this feeble, Milosevic passed muster with his excuse that as the head of state he was obliged to try to preserve the state’s territorial integrity. Is al-Bashir supposed to accept secession in the Sudan, something that Lincoln would not accept from the Confederacy? How long would al-Bashir last if he partitioned Sudan?
Last October the Atlanta Journal-Constitution had a photo on its front page above the fold of an elderly man with mikes shoved in his face. Paul Henss, 85 years old, is being deported from the US, where he has lived for 53 years, because Eli Rosenbaum, director of the US State Department’s Nazi-hunting bureaucracy, declared him a war criminal for training guard dogs used at German concentration camps. Henss was 22 years old when World War II ended.
A kid who trained guard dogs is being deported as a war criminal, but the head of state who launched two wars of naked aggression, resulting in the deaths of more than 1.2 million people, and who has the entire world on edge awaiting his third war of aggression, this time against Iran, is received respectfully by foreign governments. Corporations and trade associations will pay him $100,000 per speech when he leaves office. He will make millions of dollars more from memoirs written by a ghostwriter.
Does no one see the paradox of deporting Henss while leaving the war criminal in the White House?
Prison
Planet.tv Members Can Watch
Fall Of The Republic
Right Now Online -
Don't Miss Out! Get
Your Subscription Today!
CANCER CONSPIRACY? Are
"they" suppressing the cure? Will YOU
be the next victim? Learn
the Secret Truth! - READ FULL STORY
-
- Social bookmarks
- Email this article
-
- Print this page
10 Responses to “Little War Criminals Get Punished, Big Ones Don’t”
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| By N2H | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
July 17th, 2008 at 7:12 am
It’s the same story with the young soldiers from Abu Graib. They are set up as patsies and do time for torturing Iraqis but Cheney, Rummy, and Ashcroft meetup to decide how they will do the torture and only the soldiers are convicted of anything.
July 17th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Hey,
Alex Jones Prison Planet Forum is full of communist trolls masquarading as Moderators,especially the one called ROCK,that are banning people for expressing their opinions!
July 17th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Denial of the Jewish Holocaust is a crime in some coutries, including Germany and Austria, and many people have been sentenced to serious prison time for it.
Why isn’t denial of the Israeli Holocaust against the Palestinian Arabs regarded as a crime?
The saying goes that “history is written by the victors.” It can also be said that “current events are defined by those who own and control the mass media.”
According to international law, the UN Charter, US law, and the judgement of the Nuremberg Court, “waging an unnecessary war of aggression” is a War Crime. The US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq certainly fits the Nuremberg Court’s definition of a War Crime.
The Nuremberg Court also determined that “following orders” is not an excuse for committing war crimes. Which means that not only are the leaders of the USA, Britain, and their allies War Criminals, but so are the many thousands of troops who have participated in the invasion and occupation of Iraq. They ALL deserve hanging.
July 17th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Mr. Roberts, you made an excellent point. Why are we focusing on fish, when there is a shark in the very same waters?
Sudan is Muslim and have oil-ummm. Also, Somalia was bombed and occupied by Ethiopia by (U.S./Israel proxy). What do all of these states have in common? They are Muslim, the Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestinians, Sudan, Somalia, and also Iran. There is a clear pattern here.
You said:
Palestinian women and children. These crimes against humanity have been going on for decades. Except for a few Israeli human rights organizations. Many non Israeli groups have been very vocal activist for the Palestinians. (Rachel Corey) There are a host of organizations doing their part, Muslim organizations, interfaith organizations, as well as Jewish American organizations who have produced documentaries . “The Arab Voice” radio program (Houston) has solid guest discussing many of these issues (KPFT Radio)
There is a group in Houston that meets on a bridge every week to protest Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians and the U.S. aid to Israel. These folks are baby boomers, and you know what? These 60 year old patriotic Americans are bombarded by an antagonistic zionist man who post disturbing messages about some of the group’s members, he also went so far as to post one of the man’s addresses online, also commenting that the man was anti-Gay anti Israel. The man in question video taped this man and placed a video tape on Youtube where he said “the Mossad controls America.” You can see some videos on you tube (Mandell Bridge). Sometimes this same man will have some of his supporters meet on the bridge before the other folks show up. They peacefully move to another bridge.
My opinion is that we need to not only product movies about 9/11 and the NWO, but we should focus heavily on changing the two party system. We should put like minded law makers in office, and get the stooges out. Just think of how different Congress would be if there were 10 more Kucintichs’ willing to impeach, 10 other Ron Pauls hammering the Federal Reserve leaders about the devaluation of our currency.
We have too many distractions today. There is the war, the fuel prices, FISA, Open borders, drug crisis, food crisis, dollar crisis, fake terrorist crisis……how can we win?
Obama said protecting Israel is a “sacrosanct. It is non-negotiable.”
Who is protecting America from herself?
July 17th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
when is Blair and Bush turn at the International Court , those who invaded countries and destroyed Iraq to to stone age , and killed so many and caused 6 millions of refugiees living a life of misery in Syria , Jordan and elsewhere . shame on them.
Israel is behind many rebel groups , financing and arming at least 2 Rebel groups so they can divide from Sudan , the zionists are doing the same in Kurdistan .
When Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur of the Rebel group SLM was asked about his close relationship to israelis whom he often meets in Paris where he is based , he simply smiles . He is the same guy who refused the Abuja peace accords and was responsible for kidnapping 12 UN officials 2 or 3 years ago . there are 16 Rebel groups , and most are financed and armed by Foreign groups . No one wants to see a United Sudan . what started as a quarrel for water resources and food for cattle , became a nightmare and America and ISrael are fanning the fire behind the scenes and crying crocodile tears for sudanese . I find it hilarious to see zionists in America support the Furs (people of darfur ) and feel compassionate about them , Yet they committ war crimes and genocide against the palestinians for over 60 years . Hypocrits . the Leaders of israel has caused more deaths and more tragedies and should be behind bars . (from deir Yassin , to qana massacres in the 80 , and 2006 , Beit Hanoun massacre , etc..etc.. )
July 17th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
“National Public Radio has been spending much news time on Darfur in Western Sudan where a great deal of human suffering and death are occurring.”
NPR is run by USIA, the old CIA propaganda house. Kevin Klose was a former head of that.
USIA people are being moved into many NPR positions, including down into state public radio organiztions.
NPR has ditched its investigative reporting and now runs a lot of Associated Press material so they can concentrate on their propaganda efforts. The NPR listener demographic is the most valuable.
July 17th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Our world “leaders” (*hack hack*) are the criminals, people. You think THEY are going to be punished?? By WHOM?
It’s time to start preparing, people. Time to wake up to the REAL devastations coming down.
Come share your views here at our new, private, secure DISCUSSION FORUM, where your input is vital; sharing is greatly encouraged; learning the truth is KEY:
https://www.intl-alliance.com/forum/index.php
We need to hear from you!
July 17th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
I don’t disagree that Bush, Cheney, Blair, etc., should face a tribunal, but don’t compare with the head of Sudan. In other words, the “crimes” of Bush et al are worth pointing out all on their own. Don’t diminish, please, the outrages of this hideous figure from the Sudan. What do you mean, making some excuse that, like Lincoln, he can’t partition his country. Excuse me, from all reports, state gunmen going on killing and burning-village missions. Period. They’re savages. They’re not killing primarily rebels. They’re killing ordinary “nobodies.” And you condemn Israel but not the Palestinians. In my mind, they’re both guilty of not getting it, of perpetrating policies that lead to death, that are examples of blind stupid leadership. And you state that Taliban is a “demonized” name. Well, duh. They’re morons, killers, religious twisters, women haters and what else? Oh yeah–demons!
I guess what I’m saying, in short, is concentrate on the target of your vitriol–Bush–and don’t go making discreditable comments left and right to buttress an argument that stands fine by itself, thank you.
Ron G.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
If the Sudanese government is killing Christian missionaries, that means they are killing CIA agents and fascists. Good for them.
July 18th, 2008 at 1:25 am
The only reason why they are beating up the Sudan issue is because the Chineese are involved in buying the Shale oil for their reserves. I dont think they would be so upbeat on the Afghanistan news. But no voilence happens there.