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This topic has been archived - replies are not allowed.
I was stunned to learn recently that there's an 8-year statute of limitations in the U. S. on prosecuting certain types of war crimes -- including torture.
But what?s even more disturbing is that it's the avowed strategy of the Bush Administration, and their Republican protectors in Congress, to stall any investigations -- in other words, to run out the clock on these statutes ?- in a cowardly attempt to close, and whitewash, the books on one of the most horrific chapters in American policy.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers has called for extending the statutes, but his appeal has fallen on deaf ears. President Obama, knowing that the resulting political shitstorm would make dealing with Congress on the economic crisis virtually impossible, has so far declined to press the issue. While I'm sympathetic to Obama's predicament, I've reached the personal conclusion that history's judgment of our fundamental character as a nation outweighs more transient considerations.
There's a grassroots effort underway to sidestep the federal government and bring charges against Bush, Cheney, et al through the individual states attorneys general; it's a circuitous, but do-able, tactic ?- and it's the very essence of true democratic action. I urge REAL TIME fans that feel as I do, or simply want to know more, to go to www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum933.php.
- Russ
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 27, 2009 9:47 AM
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Russ
You and I share the same hope.
Are we naive?
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 27, 2009 9:45 AM
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Chambord
What, were you in charge of prisoner interrogation for Bush & Co, or do you simply believe every government press release with no questions asked?
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Guest
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 27, 2009 1:16 AM
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> dghtr001,
>
> I would certainly prefer to kiss Bill's over yours,
> any day of the week.
I'm sorry I just have to laugh at that. er ha!!!
> However, the queston is, what
> is your fucking point?
You could have ignored my post all together, but no you felt you had to respond.
> Are you pissed at Bill for
> some reason?
I was joking when I made the post. Most people here know that.
>Are you awake or even aware of the
> subject we're discussing at this point? Stay on
> task, ghostrider! It's is a cruel world out there.
Because we're all going to save the world by discussing issues on a message board. You're right ::two thumbs up::
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 11:40 PM
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dghtr001,
I would certainly prefer to kiss Bill's over yours, any day of the week. However, the queston is, what is your fucking point? Are you pissed at Bill for some reason? Are you awake or even aware of the subject we're discussing at this point? Stay on task, ghostrider! It's is a cruel world out there.
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 11:36 PM
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Chambord,
Exactly where do you get your inside information, I'd like to know. Only three? Well, that's not even an American howdy do, is it? And who doesn't love a good splash of water in the airway from time to time? It sounds almost cleansing the way you describe it. I don't know the exact number of detainees at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, but I can tell you what I have read about their treatment and it includes the following:
*Urinating on detainees'
*Beating detainees' on a wounded leg with a baton
*Pouring phosphoric acid on detainees
*Sodomization of detainees' with a baton
*Tying of rope to detainees' legs or penises and dragging them across the floor.
I'm sure that this description of how we treated prisoners of war, no matter the number, should sufficiently alert you to the problem at hand with regard to the good ole USA, and see that we "need ourselves a fixin' here."
And how..And now....
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Guest
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 10:57 PM
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> dghtr001,
>
> You'd think that you could get over your anger after
> almost 8,000 posts.
And your 70 are probably planted on bills butt.
"oh dearest bill, how I want to kiss thy ass"
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 10:26 PM
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JetFuel2,
Unfortunately, I suspect you're right. That's why I'd like to refer you back to my initial post, which is about an alternative route to prosecutions that starts in the states, rather than the federal system -- and why extending the U. S. statutes of limitations on war crimes would be helpful, but (hopefully) not essential.
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 10:25 PM
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> No, just those in the former administration's chain
> of command (including Cheney and Rumsfeld, for
> example) who signed off on excessive interrogation
> techniques that violated the Geneva Accords
> definition of torture. Mostly, it's a lot of
> mid-level lawyers; but, if the paper trail reaches up
> to Bush, let's find out before the clock runs out --
> they started torturing detainees at Gitmo, as well as
> in the secret overseas CIA prisons, as early as 2002.
Only three terrorists have had "excessive interrogation", i.e., waterboarding -- one being Khalid Sheik Mohammed.
I thought you were talking about going into Iraq, not splashing water on terrorists....
--
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 10:15 PM
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--
Edited by Johnsson at 02/26/2009 7:15 PM PST
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 10:11 PM
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It doesn't matter if there is a statute of limitations on war crimes or not, Obusha will not be prosecuting any for political considerations and absence of principle.
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 10:04 PM
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dghtr001,
You'd think that you could get over your anger after almost 8,000 posts.
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 10:02 PM
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All Conyers wants is for Congress to extend the 8-year statute of limitations on war crimes to ten years, to give the issue more time work its way thru the courts. He's not calling for a Congressional investigation because he knows it can't be addressed properly in a political forum.
...And no, I'm not naive enough to suggest that the American federal court system is immune from politics. But, as I said earlier, torture is a matter of legal definition, not political interpretation. The U. S. Supreme Court is the final arbiter, speaking for our nation, of whether or not Bush Administration interrogation practices violated the Geneva Accords' definition of torture -- and, with it, our legal responsibility as a signatory.
There is a growing concensus in the international legal community, among friends and foes alike, that we did violate that definition; and a growing impatience with us to respond, one way or another.
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 9:55 PM
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You'd think that you could get over your anger after almost 8,000 posts.
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 9:06 PM
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House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers is just looking for reparations.
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Guest
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Re: War Crimes Charges Against Bush/Cheney
Feb 26, 2009 9:00 PM
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> Dearest Bill,
>
> I want to thank Russ for starting this thread and for
> you, as always, welcoming the many diverse and
> sometimes complicated fans who watch you
> "religulously" and respect your "kick ass and take
> names" approach to current events.
>
Dear Bill,
You piss me off. 
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