Anyone know the answer - Democratic Underground

Francis

(317 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Aug-24-03 02:33 AM
Original message

Anyone know the answer

In my musings, What would happen if foreign troops under American command, commited "war crimes"
As a non signatory America is exempt, but would foreign troops whose country is a signatory be tried for "only following orders"?

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Ein

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Aug-24-03 02:38 AM
Response to Original message

1. We've already violated Geneva several times in Iraq

Edited on Sun Aug-24-03 02:41 AM by Ein

They are distant in my memory now, but excessive in number. Does that not qualify as war crimes. The bombing of civilian targets is a war crime in my book, which we have done many a time since the Geneva Accords. EDIT: One startling example is our actions in the whole of Indochina in the Vietnam era...

We are a signatory, we are not tried b/c no one can really question our power.

It's crap.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Paschall

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Aug-24-03 02:46 AM
Response to Original message

2. You're talking about the International Criminal Court?

The fact that we are not signatory does not exempt US citizens from being tried through the court... which is why the administration is signing special bilateral treaties with countries to provide exactly that exemption.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

tameszu

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Aug-24-03 03:26 AM
Response to Original message

3. They could be prosecuted for war crimes by the ICC

And the other poster is correct: American soldiers could also be prosecuted for war crimes, if the complainant could show that the U.S. military or American courts were unwilling to prosecute them...and if the ICC could get its hands on them...

Also, violating the Geneva Convention doesn't necessarily constitute war crimes, at least as defined by the ICC. The war crimes the ICC prosecutes are only the most serious and intentional violations of international human rights law. Smaller things, like displaying captive soldiers and so on would not be prosecuted by the ICC.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Fri May 10th 2024, 03:11 PM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.