Is Tide Turning on Impunity of Western Power?

We've seen some unbelievable headlines in recent years. We saw a US presidential election stolen in 2000-2001. We saw the twin towers in NYC collapse in 2001. We saw our nation initiate a war of aggression based on lies in 2002-2003. We saw Enron implode and Enronian blackouts in California. We saw the US looking like an under-developed nation as the government failed to respond to Hurricane Katrina. We are seeing headlines talking about economic depression. We've seen the headlines of the first African American president of the United States.

Is it really so unimaginable to envision headlines of war crimes being brought against high officials in the US and Israel? This thought recently reached my consciousness in reaction to a critique of my GDAE Podcast. The critique challenged my criticism of the main stream media:

I take a little exception to your characterization of mainstream media's coverage of the Gaza debacle. CNN has had some good reporting about the situation inside Gaza within the limitations of access granted by the IDF. One of their reporters was in one of the tunnels leading to Egypt and commented that whenever humans feel trapped they will try and tunnel out and Palestinians in Gaza certainly feel trapped.

I could quibble about this, but that's not the point.

This critique was in reference to Episode 3 of GDAE Podcast (Jan 15, 2009), in which I claimed the establishment media was perpetuating several false narratives about the Israel/Palestine conflict. In addition to this critique of GDAE Podcast, I saw the following Yahoo News Headline:

"Israel promises troops legal backing over Gaza war", the opening line of which put Israeli war crimes on the table:

International calls to investigate Israel over alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip prompted Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday to promise military personnel state protection from foreign prosecution.

It goes on to quote Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki, who said,

It does not mean there is an immunity against legal actions...More of such efforts will be seen also in the near future.

Is it possible the US media is beginning to ponder the imponderable?

So the thought occurs to me... we've seen some amazing headlines in the past few years. It's conceivable that a ground swell of demand for justice could spawn headlines about US and Israeli officials being charged and convicted for war crimes. It's possible.

Psssst... Do Something

• Contact the Broadcast Media
  
• Contact the Newspapers
  
• Contact the US Senate
  
• Contact the House of Representatives

Sources:

Associated Press,
Israel promises troops legal backing over Gaza war, January 26, 2009.

Graphic Credit: Poet515 from DevianArt.

Investigate Israeli War Crimes

The crimes begin with failure to protect the civilians of an occupied land; not only does Israel violate social norms by the omission of "protection," Israel's violation is one of commission by collectively punishing the occupied civilian population. This is done, not only by blatant, disproportionate military violence, but by Israel's multi-year blockade of travel and commerce for Palestinians.

It has the effect of slow genocide or slow ethnic cleansing, in part because some Palestinians are fed up with the incessant check points, humiliations, and inability to develop their business enterprises... they're leaving (being cleansed) from their homeland.

I could continue adding to the list of war crimes, but the information is available elsewhere (just not in the US establishment-controlled media). We need to raise our voices against impunity and for justice to be served. It's also high time for more attention to the strategy of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions on Israel.

Psssst... Do Something

• Contact the Broadcast Media
  
• Contact the Newspapers
  
• Contact the US Senate
  
• Contact the House of Representatives

Sources:

War Crimes and Pop Culture

I know nothing about the CBS show "NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service," which airs on Tuesdays at 8pm. Here's the preview of tonight's show:

Preview of 'NCIS' 6.13: Broken Bird

One of the team members takes the fall in the next episode of "NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service". In "Broken Bird", Ducky (David McCallum) will be stabbed at a crime scene, leading to a revelation of his disturbing past that occurred more than 30 years before.

After Ducky is attacked while on duty, the NCIS team must delve into his clandestine past and they uncover a horrible truth about him. He was accused as a war criminal, torturing and killing citizen of Afghanistan.

How many more people like Ducky has the Bush administration turned into low-level war criminals? People who will be haunted by guilt for the rest of their lives? According to a Mother Jones article, Torture Comes Home, Ben Allbright (photo) watches The Daily Show, worships Dave Eggers—and still wound up "softening up" prisoners in Iraq. He now has to ask himself, "Am I a Torturer?"

If we are a just nation, and anyone should face prosecution, it should start at the top with George W. Bush.

Sign the Petition for a Special War Crimes Prosecutor

Get Website Badge for Petition for a Special Prosecutor to Investigate Bush War Crimes

Psssst... Do Something

• Contact the Broadcast Media
  
• Contact the Newspapers
  
• Contact the US Senate
  
• Contact the House of Representatives

Sources:

Karadzic Arrested: Could Be Bush

Contemporary War Criminals:
Pinochet, Bashir, Bush, Fujimori, Karadzic

Bush is famous for saying, "You can run but you can't hide." Former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic is experiencing this saying first hand.

The world is witnessing Karadzic being brought to Justice. It signals that even the highest official in the land cannot commit crimes with impunity. This helps maintain social stability; if the public loses confidence that justice will be enforced through official channels, they will be tempted to seek vigilante justice.

We've also seen justice brought to Sudanese president Omar Bashir through the International Criminal Court. Chilean President Agusto Pinochet also learned that "you can run but you can't hide" from justice. The same fate befell former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori.

These national leaders committed crimes, and despite some delay, have eventually faced justice. This signals the potential that George W. Bush could eventually face justice for waging an illegal war of aggression in Iraq.

Sources:

Associated Press, Top war crimes suspect arrested in Serbia, DUSAN STOJANOVIC, July 22, 2008.

All Eyes on March 4

I'm not talking about Ohio and Texas Democratic primaries. I'm talking about the Brattleboro, VT Town Meeting, where residents will hold a paper ballot on whether or not to

allow for the indictment and arrest of President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for war crimes, perjury or obstruction of justice charges if they ever visit Vermont

this according to the Political Gateway.

According to the Gateway, "The Brattleboro Select Board voted 3-2 to put the measure" before its citizens following a successful petition drive organized by Kurt Daims. Daims said,

This is exactly what the charter envisioned as a citizen initiative... People want to express themselves and they want to say how they feel.

This growing crisis of jurisdiction, between local government and federal government, is spreading to Bush's home town of Kennebunkport, ME. According to After Downing Street Memo.Org, US Senate Candidate Laurie Dobson will Deliver “The Bush-Cheney Indictment Resolution” to the Town Office on February 26, 2008. It is further reported that the Resolution

shall be placed upon the Town Meeting Agenda for the June Ballot.

See Dobson for Senate, and YouTube Dobson for Sentate.

Sources:

Political Gateway, Vt. town to vote on Bush arrest, January 28, 2008.

After Downing Street Memo.Org, Indicting Bush in His Family's Home Town, February 25, 2008.

The Rub of the Shrub: Chapter 1

It was a cold winter day in 2009 when Jeremy started his journey. Walking his dog, he called Gary on a whim.

As Murphy's Law would have it, God decided to take a shit just as Gary's phone started ringing. Jeremy fumbled off his gloves, pulled a baggie out of his coat pocket and cradled the too-small-to cradle cell on his shoulder, holding the leash in one hand while he did hid doggie pick-up duty with the other. Jeremy briefly thought of the joke about aliens observing this scene and concluding that humans were the slaves of dogs when Gary answered.

Hey Jer. Been a while.

Yea. Thought it was time to catch up.

And they did. Work, family, friends, Gary's law school. Finally Jeremy popped the question.

So, now that you're a lawyer, are you going to help prosecute the Shrub for war crimes?

Just making idle conversation. Gary laughed and Jeremy felt a little silly. Gary replied,

I was thinking more along the lines of 'crimes against the peace.'

This wasn't totally lost on Jeremy, though he wasn't quite sure exactly what that meant. Gary continued, beginning to change the subject.

So, whaddya think about the new administration?

New boss. Same as the old boss, I guess. But Jeremy wasn't quite ready to let the last topic drop.

No really. I don't mean be the lead prosecutor. How can we let the Shrub get away with ... everything?

There was a pause on the other end.

Look. He's a fucking ass hole. A fuck'n disgrace to the Country. He should be tried. But it ain't gonna happen. I mean, come on.

Yea, well, Biden said don't worry about whether we impeach him, we can prosecute him for war crimes.

Biden isn't President.

Maybe that's to our advantage. These guys get into office and ... they go conservative. Biden's on the outside.

Well, if you hear Biden talking it up, let me know. At which point the conversation drifted to another topic.

Later that day, Jeremy spoke with his dad. He had apparently hit a deer... again.

Guess I should check my e-mail more often, Jeremy said, feeling guilty about his lack of family contact, living on opposite coasts. Everyone was alright, but Jeremy was reminded of the elderly couple whom he'd met in Colorado, visiting his grandparents, who were killed in a head-on while trying to miss a deer or elk. He shuddered. Then he popped the question.

His father's response was a bit more supportive than Gary's. He didn't change the subject.

If I could see the Shrub get convicted for war crimes before I go to my grave, I'd feel very satisfied. To which he followed up. Look. It's not healthy to be vindictive, but here's a case where I'd make an exception, to which they both laughed.

Jeremy asked his dad if he was aware that Senator Biden had once made reference to war crimes prosecution as an option in the face of impeachment being off the table. His dad seemed to recall something along those lines. Jeremy followed up,

And Congressman Naylor, I forget his first name, represents Manhattan I think,

Jerry his dad offered.

Jerrold... Nadler. That's it. I think he was the chairman of some subcommittee, something to do with the constitution... I think it's part of the Judiciary Committee. I heard him on a podcast, and he was asked about Impeachment of the Shrub. His response was clear. He said the Shrub should be prosecuted.

You'll have to get passed his Praetorian guard first. He didn't realize how prescient those words were.