The Nuremberg precedent and the criminalization of the US ruling elite

[IndianaGreen]

The killing of Hussein’s sons: the Nuremberg precedent and the criminalization of the US ruling elite
By David Walsh
24 July 2003

There is little doubt that Uday and Qusay Hussein, the two sons of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein killed by US forces in a house on the outskirts of Mosul July 22, were morally and politically reprehensible figures. By all accounts, Uday Hussein, the elder, was a sexual predator and murderer, while Qusay, as chief of Iraq’s notorious security apparatus, had even more blood on his hands. Given the reactionary nature of the regime, there is no reason to doubt the extent and depth of their crimes.

Having said that, both the means by which Hussein’s sons were liquidated and the manner in which the killings were greeted by the American government and media speak volumes about the nature of the US intervention in Iraq and the character of the American political establishment.

On the plane of morality, there exist no fundamental differences between the personnel of the Hussein regime and the Bush administration. The latter operates in every sphere with unashamed lawlessness and violence. If there is a difference in the degree of brutality against its own citizens, the “restraint” exercised by the Bush forces is a matter of circumstance rather than moral superiority over the killers and torturers of the ousted Iraqi regime.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/jul2003/iraq-j24.shtml

[Laughing Mirror]

1. Senator Ted Kennedy, the dean of Democratic “liberals,”

expressed satisfaction over the killings. “It’s progress,” he said.

Unbelievable.

[chesley]

2. So do I understand you correctly

Cheering for the deaths of Saddam's thugocrat sons is on the same moral plane as raping and killing women??

[IndianaGreen]

3. Do you believe in the rule of law?

Or would you rather behave as "they" do?

I believe in putting war criminals on trial, including Bush and Cheney. The accused should have legal counsel of their own choosing and should be afforded every opportunity of due process.

Those that are convicted should receive a sentence that is in accordance to the law and in proportion to their crimes, including the death penalty.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IndianaGreen]

6. Belief in the rule of law is now called being "insane"?

The war criminals of the Bush regime should be subjected to the same justice the Allied Powers imparted on the war criminals of the real Axis Powers.

Pay close attention to the legal basis for prosecuting criminals such as Goering and Jodl. One of the charges they were convicted of was "Conspiracy to Wage Aggressive War," this is what that meant:

This count helped address the crimes committed before the war began, showing a plan to commit crimes during the war.

Charter of the International Military Tribunal
August 8, 1945
(Selected Articles)

ARTICLE 6

The Tribunal established by the Agreement referred to in Article 1 hereof for the trial and punishment of the major war criminals of the European Axis countries shall have the power to try and punish persons who, acting in the interests of the European Axis countries, whether as individuals or as members of organizations, committed any of the following crimes.

The following acts, or any of them, are crimes coming within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal for which there shall be individual responsibility:

(a) Crimes against Peace: namely, planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression, or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances, or participation in a Common Plan or Conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the foregoing;

(b) War Crimes: namely, violations of the laws or customs of war. Such violations shall include, but not be limited to, murder, ill-treatment or deportation to slave labor or for any other purpose of civilian population of or in occupied territory, murder or ill-treatment of prisoners of war or persons on the seas, killing of hostages, plunder of public or private property, wanton destruction of cities, towns, or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity;

(c) Crimes against Humanity: namely, murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, and other inhumane acts committed against any civilian population, before or during the war,14 or persecutions on political, racial, or religious grounds in execution of or in connection with any crime within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal, whether or not in violation of domestic law of the country where perpetrated.

Leaders, organizers, instigators, and accomplices participating in the formulation or execution of a Common Plan or Conspiracy to commit any of the foregoing crimes are responsible for all acts performed by any persons in execution of such plan.

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/NurembergIndictments.html

[mercator]

9. Just doing a hypocrasy test..

Would you execute saddam, usay, and quday for warcrimes if they were captured alive somehow?

I get the feeling your rage is just aimed at Bush however..

[IndianaGreen]

10. First of all, it is spelled "hypocrisy"!

Second of all, we should have turned them in to the Iraqis to face trial under Iraqi law.

We could not try them under American law because they didn't break any American laws and Iraq was not involved in 9/11.

Third, we could not try them under international law because we broke international law ourselves when we launched an unprovoked attack on Iraq. Tommy Franks is a war criminal!

[mercator]

12. uh oh..

Well I can't even try to communicate apparently, as my posts are getting deleted by someone who is offended.

Can't take the heat I guess.

[mercator]

13. Who cares?!!

About spelling? I just want to know if you *ONLY* support the death penalty in the case of Bush..

If Zacarias Moussaoui is proven guilty, how about him?

I bet it's just Bush..

[IndianaGreen]

14. Tombstoned?

I might as weil delete my carefully crafted reply to you which was:

Go back and read what I wrote on the topic of war crimes, the Nuremberg trials, and the International Crimes Court.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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[mercator]

4. These poor guys..

Were offered the chance to surrender, and instead answered with bullets. So they were then killed.

BFD.. Poor babies.

[AndyTiedye]

7. Put them in Alcatraz, It Would Be Perfect for Them

I Oppose the Death Penalty Even for the Bush* Gang When they are Convicted
Life imprisonment will do.
Re-open part of Alcatraz, just for them.
Put them in those tiny cells with a good view of San Francisco
so they can see and hear us celebrating their downfall.
Keep on running the tours like they do now.
Let the tourists come through and see what happens to criminals
who steal the Presidency and try to steal our country.

[LiberalLibra]

11. I agree with most of what you say but I think Bush/Cheney deserve death...

...something along the lines of how France carried out death before the guillotine. Oh yes, I am heartless toward these guys.