Thread: Should George Bush Be Charged with War Crimes?

There is no chance of that happening, because Obama has continued most of the same policies...

C'mon. Rational is boring! Let's freak out and spew hatred and bile!!!

Anyway, I don't see why GW is any more culpable than the rest of us. We voted him. Twice.

Originally Posted by Prince of Space

There is no chance of that happening, because Obama has continued most of the same policies...

On the world stage they could then both be charged. If you will notice the first charge came from Switzerland. Did you read the entire article? It brings some interesting points. Like this one:

American presidents are subject to law, of course: American law.

In the case of torture -- the offense of which Bush's critics accuse the president -- the relevant law is the War Crimes Act of 1996, which provides penalties up to the death penalty for abuse of military detainees.

OSB is much more versed in international law than am I, so I'm hoping he will weigh in on this one.

Originally Posted by dblack

C'mon. Rational is boring! Let's freak out and spew hatred and bile!!!

Anyway, I don't see why GW is any more culpable than the rest of us. We voted him. Twice.

I know that you know that before this thread is complete there will be gnashing of teeth and frothing at the mouth. Besides, who listens to Sunshine anyway?

Originally Posted by Sunshine

On the world stage they could then both be charged. If you will notice the first charge came from Switzerland. Did you read the entire article? It brings some interesting points. Like this one:



OSB is much more versed in international law than am I, so I'm hoping he will weigh in on this one.

As we are not party to the ICJ, it is irrelevant what other countries say. No US citizen can be charged in an international court. Ever. I am only interested in having our leaders held to US law. Bush violated the Constitution many times, but if you charge him, you have to charge most former presidents as well. Because of the interpretive nature of the Constitution, the best course of action, in a perfect world, is let the courts deem the actions unconstitutional. Of course, since FDR, the courts have been much less willing to act.

Leftists hate Bush because he toppled one of the most evil socialist dictators in modern history.

Why do left wing zealots love Saddam Hussein so much?

Originally Posted by Prince of Space

As we are not party to the ICJ, it is irrelevant what other countries say. No US citizen can be charged in an international court. Ever. I am only interested in having our leaders held to US law. Bush violated the Constitution many times, but if you charge him, you have to charge most former presidents as well. Because of the interpretive nature of the Constitution, the best course of action, in a perfect world, is let the courts deem the actions unconstitutional. Of course, since FDR, the courts have been much less willing to act.

Ah, but the question us SHOULD he be charged, not could he or will he.

In your honest opinion, is George Bush a war criminal? Perhaps the countries of the world have just decided to gather up their skirts and hurl back at us what we have been slinging around for half a century.

Originally Posted by Sunshine

Ah, but the question us SHOULD he be charged, not could he or will he.

In your honest opinion, is George Bush a war criminal? Perhaps the countries of the world have just decided to gather up their skirts and hurl back at us what we have been slinging around for half a century.

No, because I do not want our people and/or leaders subject to the whims and laws of other countries or powers.

Originally Posted by hairballxavier

Leftists hate Bush because he toppled one of the most evil socialist dictators in modern history.

Maybe they hate him for the same reason libertarians do - because he pissed all over the constitution and led our nation into a pointless war.

The next time we have a war, the leaders children will be in the front lines, along with the military industrialists and anybody else that profits from war

Originally Posted by Moonglow

The next time we have a war, the leaders children will be in the front lines, along with the military industrialists and anybody else that profits from war

So force, at gun point, the innocent children of the people who actually did something wrong to fight?

Originally Posted by dblack

Maybe they hate him for the same reason libertarians do - because he pissed all over the constitution and led our nation into a pointless war.

Sounds like a very ridiculous and false accusation to me.

Those of us who are not ignorant of the history of the conflict know that Bush inherited the war, he did not lead us into it.

Originally Posted by hairballxavier

Sounds like a very ridiculous and false accusation to me.

Those of us who are not ignorant of the history of the conflict know that Bush inherited the war, he did not lead us into it.

The point here is that Bush did not follow the Constitution and declare war against the country we invaded.