One Utah

Following months and years of denial, Bush now all but admits that he and his subordinates have engaged in war crimes. America should impeach the bum now and, if he shows remorse, spare him imprisonment or worse as provided by statute.

On the other hand, who cares?
A “war crime” means any conduct:

(1) defined as a grave breach in any of the international conventions signed at Geneva …; (2) prohibited by Article 23, 25, 27, or 28 of the Annex to the Hague Convention IV, Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land …; (3) which constitutes a violation of common Article 3 of the [Geneva Convention ...]; or (4) of a person who, in relation to an armed conflict … willfully kills or causes serious injury to civilians.

United States Code, Section 2441, Title 18 (the “War Crimes Act”). One who commits a war crime is punishable by fine, imprisonment or death.

Clearly, members of the Bush administration are guilty of violating Common Article 3 through their commission of “outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment” of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere. Bush is also a “person who, in relation to an armed conflict … willfully kills or causes serious injury to civilians.” Bush, Cheney and Rummy’s “shock and awe” campaign in Iraq has resulted in the willful deaths of thousands of innocent civilians, and those deaths continue on a near-daily basis.

Recognizing the “problem” this situation presents, the Bush administration has drafted amendments to the War Crimes Act that would retroactively protect policymakers from possible criminal charges for authorizing such abuses. As reported by the LA Times, the White House states the bill “will apply to any conduct by any U.S. personnel, whether committed before or after the law is enacted.” The Washington Post first reported on the War Crimes Act amendments Wednesday.

As explained by both the Post and the LA Times, the move is the administration’s latest effort to deal with treatment of those taken into custody in its so-called war on terrorism. At issue are interrogations carried out by the CIA, and the degree to which harsh tactics such as water-boarding were authorized by administration officials. Also at issue is the Supreme Court’s recent holding that Bush has violated Common Article 3 through his illegal treatment of detainees held at Guantanamo.

“I think what this bill can do is in effect immunize past crimes. That’s why it’s so dangerous,” said attorney Eugene Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Justice. Fidell said the initiative was “not just protection of political appointees but also CIA personnel who led interrogations.” Interrogation practices “follow from policies that were formed at the highest levels of the administration,” said attorney Scott Horton. “The administration is trying to insulate policymakers under the War Crimes Act.”

And all this time, Bush has counseled America and the world that his actions are clearly legal, above board and within judicial scrutiny. Seems as though Bush is now second-guessing his statements. Many legal experts have announced that Bush is guilty of war crimes. His actions in regard to amending the War Crimes Act vindicate this position. Impeachment and transportation to the Hague is now required before America can ever regain its prominence in the eyes of the world.

This entry was posted Thursday, August 10th, 2006 at 8:29 pm and is filed under Crimes, Guest Writer, Impeachment, Iraq, National Politics, Republicans, War. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.