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'US committed no war crimes in Iraq'

Triad

Triad

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This is the view of Richard Goldstone, a former chief international war crimes prosecutor and international law expert.

"I don't believe that any allegation that I have read or heard against the United States leaders comes anywhere near the sorts of crimes that the ICC has been set up to investigate. Genocide, crimes against humanity, serious war crimes - it just doesn't measure up."

Richard Goldstone - chief prosecutor at the war crimes tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda from 1994-1996 and currently head of a UN fact-finding team on international law violations - made his remarks during a Radio Netherlands Worldwide debate in The Hague.

Asked by a member of the audience if former President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, could ever see themselves on trial at the International Criminal Court for their role in the US-led invasion of Iraq - Judge Goldstone was unequivocal in his answer.

"Let me say I don't believe, while there are allegations of torture - and errors made in bombing of Kosovo during the Clinton administration - or some civilians being killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, I don't believe that any allegation that I have read or heard against the United States leaders comes anywhere near the sorts of crimes that the ICC has been set up to investigate. Genocide, crimes against humanity, serious war crimes - it just doesn't measure up, that's point one. I don't think it's a fair comparison."
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'US committed no war crimes in Iraq' | Radio Netherlands Worldwide


Course the people who made the claims he is dismissing as garbage made up those claims and never cared whether they where real or not.
 
Genocide, crimes against humanity, serious war crimes - it just doesn't measure up, that's point one. I don't think it's a fair comparison."
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Nothing on that level... Serious war crimes? Authorizing the use of torture is basically a war crime, but it is only serious because of the negative impact it has on the campaign. Rummy and the other goons were certainly terrible leaders, but go on trial? Maybe as a show piece after more of those abuse pictures get released, but nothing more.
 
Who wants to tell Rosie O'Donnell and Cindy Sheehan?
 
That's odd. This is the same magnanimous Richard Goldstone of the UN who is very critical of IDF warfare in Gaza. The IDF waged urban warfare in Gaza no differently than the US has done in Iraq and Afghanistan. Either he is wrong about one or the other respective theaters, or he is a blatant hypocrite.
 
Triad said:
'US committed no war crimes in Iraq' | Radio Netherlands Worldwide


Course the people who made the claims he is dismissing as garbage made up those claims and never cared whether they where real or not.
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Yes we have actually and the parties responsible have been tried, convicted, and sent to prison.

Iraq Tribes Are Upset by Sentence Given to G.I.

By MARC SANTORA and SUADAD AL-SALHY
Published: May 22, 2009

BAGHDAD — Iraqi tribal and political leaders complained bitterly on Friday after an American court spared the life of a United States soldier convicted of raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and then murdering her and members of her family in 2006.

The soldier, Steven D. Green, 24, was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Thursday after a jury failed to reach a consensus on whether he should be executed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/23/world/middleeast/23iraq.html
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He should have been executed by Iraqi firing squad and/or hung.
 
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Tashah said:
That's odd. This is the same magnanimous Richard Goldstone of the UN who is very critical of IDF warfare in Gaza. The IDF waged urban warfare in Gaza no differently than the US has done in Iraq and Afghanistan. Either he is wrong about one or the other respective theaters, or he is a blatant hypocrite.
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I suspect that if we examine his record over a long period of time, we'll find out which he is.

IMO, the answer to the above question explains his attitude toward the IDF.
 
Iraq Tribes Are Upset by Sentence Given to G.I.

By MARC SANTORA and SUADAD AL-SALHY
Published: May 22, 2009

BAGHDAD — Iraqi tribal and political leaders complained bitterly on Friday after an American court spared the life of a United States soldier convicted of raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and then murdering her and members of her family in 2006.

The soldier, Steven D. Green, 24, was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Thursday after a jury failed to reach a consensus on whether he should be executed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/23/wo...st/23iraq.html
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This is a war crime. Made worse by the US court.
 
Title says U.S. committed "no war crimes." Article says in Goldstone's opinion the U.S. committed nothing the ICC was set up to investigate such as "genocide, crimes against humanity, and serious war crimes."

So what is the difference between "war crimes" and "serious war crimes?"

This doesn't clear the U.S. in any way, shape. or form. All it says is that the U.S. hasn't done anything that he thinks fit the mission of the ICC.

Please, you'll all need to try a little harder to turn this into "US committed no war crimes in Iraq." This article nor his statements make that case.

Here is the actual article by the way... 'Will US ever face ICC over allegations of war crimes in Iraq?'
 
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What on earth does the US have to do with raping a 14 year old girl? It was not sanctioned by the US and has nothing to do with this topic.
 
Lerxst said:
Title says U.S. committed "no war crimes." Article says in Goldstone's opinion the U.S. committed nothing the ICC was set up to investigate such as "genocide, crimes against humanity, and serious war crimes."

So what is the difference between "war crimes" and "serious war crimes?"

This doesn't clear the U.S. in any way, shape. or form. All it says is that the U.S. hasn't done anything that he thinks fit the mission of the ICC.

Please, you'll all need to try a little harder to turn this into "US committed no war crimes in Iraq." This article nor his statements make that case.

Here is the actual article by the way... 'Will US ever face ICC over allegations of war crimes in Iraq?'
Click to expand...

I think probably the best definition is whether there was a policy or order in place to commit a crime. A soldier who individually shoots a civilian has committed a crime, but it is not a war crime unless it was the policy to kill civilians, or he was ordered to by superiors. In which case all they way up the ranks are culpable. Remember we have a precedent set that the "Just following orders" does not suffice. Hence why a U.S. soldier can refuse absolutely an order than contravenes the law, for the order itself would be unlawful.

I do not know about the ICC, but I think there is no doubt that at this time David Addington, John Yoo, Douglas Feith, Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, and possibly Dick Cheney have to take caution if traveling overseas, especially within the EU. I know that the Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón has begun an investigation into the cases of torture. I remember hearing on Meet the Press over 2-3 years ago that this would be the case. Sure enough just this past Spring Garzon has begun investigation. This is separate from ICC, but findings could be passed to them for prosecution.

Even if one believes vehemently that nothing wrong was done, it still does not change the very simple fact that quite a significant number of high ranking U.S. government officials will never be able to travel overseas for fear of arrest. And equally regardless of how one feels, this is still an embarrassment to no end.

On the other hand I think should be equally clear that to date a lot of allegations towards soldiers have ranged from absolute stupidity to outright dishonesty. The primary case that white phosphereous was used deliberately on civilians has long since been discredited. It is insidious, as the President said in his speech in France, the degree to which some will seek to attack the U.S. for being..the U.S. Another perfect example is the same judges in Spain are investigating the case of the Palestine Hotel being hit my a U.S. tank during the incursion into Baghdad. Here again is I believe a case where there is none, other than to prosecute based on anti-Americanism that grew to unseen levels the past few years.
 
Lerxst said:
Title says U.S. committed "no war crimes." Article says in Goldstone's opinion the U.S. committed nothing the ICC was set up to investigate such as "genocide, crimes against humanity, and serious war crimes."

So what is the difference between "war crimes" and "serious war crimes?"

This doesn't clear the U.S. in any way, shape. or form. All it says is that the U.S. hasn't done anything that he thinks fit the mission of the ICC.

Please, you'll all need to try a little harder to turn this into "US committed no war crimes in Iraq." This article nor his statements make that case.

Here is the actual article by the way... 'Will US ever face ICC over allegations of war crimes in Iraq?'
Click to expand...


A, "war crime", is an act that violates the Geneva Convention, or The International Laws of War. The illegal acts of individual soldiers do not fall inot that category. If that were the case, the United States would be guilty of war cimes dating back as far as 1776.
 
Lerxst said:
Title says U.S. committed "no war crimes." Article says in Goldstone's opinion the U.S. committed nothing the ICC was set up to investigate such as "genocide, crimes against humanity, and serious war crimes."

So what is the difference between "war crimes" and "serious war crimes?"

This doesn't clear the U.S. in any way, shape. or form. All it says is that the U.S. hasn't done anything that he thinks fit the mission of the ICC.

Please, you'll all need to try a little harder to turn this into "US committed no war crimes in Iraq." This article nor his statements make that case.

Here is the actual article by the way... 'Will US ever face ICC over allegations of war crimes in Iraq?'
Click to expand...
what's your point?
 
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