Posted on 08/29/2004 11:30:08 AM PDT by Land_of_Lincoln_John
August 28, 2004--More than 500 people assembled in New York's Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium concluded the War Crimes Tribunal with a resounding unanimous vote of guilty, declaring the Bush administration guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes against peace.
Declaring the Bush administration a criminal regime, this meeting, which drew speakers and participants from around the world, defended the right of GIs to resist illegal orders to fight against the people of Iraq, expressed solidarity with the Iraqi resistance and declared itself in solidarity with the upcoming Week of Resistance in New York City against the Republican National Convention.
At the tribunal, eyewitnesses of events in Iraq, expert witnesses, organizers of tribunals in other countries, and GI resisters, veterans and their families testified to the facts regarding a series of 19 charges against the Bush administration in an indictment prepared by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark (see www.PeopleJudgeBush.org). Clark summarized the case and called for the guilty verdict.
Tribunal organizers and political activists came from Japan, Germany, Turkey, Spain, India, Haiti and Palestine.
A GI currently in Toronto, Canada, Brandon Hughey, sent a video message saying why he was refusing to return to Iraq. Gerry Condon, a Vietnam-era soldier who refused to oppress the Vietnamese and spent six years instead in Sweden and Canada, described the Canadian network to support GIs who refuse to kill Iraqis.
To attend the tribunal, the audience and the organizers defied attempts throughout the previous week to make the auditorium unavailable and faced down an enormous police presence on the day of the hearing. The police set up security check point that many said was more intense than what they experienced when boarding a plane. Entrance included body scans, bag checks, and a massive police presence. Tribunal organizers were charged thousands of dollars extra fees for security.
The Tribunal went forward despite the oppressive atmosphere and attempts by the Bush and Bloomberg administration to criminalize and shut down dissent in the city. Rather than being shut down, the Tribunal expressed a determination to confront the City and police restrictions, and to be in the streets and in Central Park.
Tribunal organizers joined a news conference Aug. 27 at City Hall to defend the rights of protesters and to support the right of people to go to Central Park despite Mayor Bloomberg's refusal to grant permits.
The tribunal was the first major action of the week of resistance against the Republican National Convention. Tribunal organizers said they wanted to give a clear anti-war message during the protests. People attending the tribunal picked up signs to take into the streets with a picture of Bush and the words, "Guilty of War crimes."
Tribunal organizer Sara Flounders of the International Action Center said, "We will be in the streets non-stop protesting the Bush policies of war and occupation of Iraq. But shortly after the RNC, we expect to have videos and documents of the entire Tribunal available. I invite those interested in a record of this powerful testimony to contact us."
Flounders appealed to the tribunal supporters regarding the latest repressive steps. "Due to the enormous expenses and extra charges involved in the tribunal and in maintaining a resistance center at the International Action Center office this week, and in continuing to mobilize resistance, we appeal to people to contribute at http://www.peoplejudgebush.org/donate .
[source; International Action Center 8-28-04]
Is Ramsey Clark still alive or are they just propping him up? He's just an old commie pinko.
Ramsey Clark the Re-treads Re-tread.
Ramsey Clark the Re-treads Re-tread.
This isn't a joke is it ?
Sigh....
I hope the media tries to report this. Talk about helping the President.
I never want to see terrorism. Nowhere, no how, no way.
But there's a sick, slightly twisted part of my mind that wonders what these people would do if an Islamist walked into this "tribunal," screamed "You are the Great Satan! Die, infidels! ALLAH AKBAR!!" at the top of his lungs, and blew himself up, no doubt leaving a number of these participants dead or injured.
Would they realize that there is no peace possible with Islamists? Would they finally realize that the only thing we can do is either kill them or convince them that there is too high a price to pay to attack us? Would they finally get it?
Or would the survivors simply blame it on America, and on President Bush, and appeal to the Islamists, once again, for peace and understanding? Would they continue to appease after having to clean their fellow travelers' brains off their clothing?
I don't want to see it happen. Never. Not even to these idiots. But wondering how they'd handle it is an interesting thought experiment.
}:-)4
Leave it to ol' Ramsey to revive the Stalinist show trial. You know he's volunteered to defend Saddam, don't you?
Darn! I sure hated to miss this extremely valuable tribunal....Maybe next time!/sarcasm
This is just one more confirmation, the DemocRATic Party is no longer the DemocRATic Party. It is now the Amerikan Communist Party!!!!!
Trash 'em low!!!!
D2
What kind of trial has no defense lawyer or allowable defense, OH I forgot this is communism at work, no defense allowed. HOGWASH Tribunal may they all rot in hell, as I shake off my feet against them.
"It is now the Amerikan Communist Party!!!!!"
I second that.
Isn't Ramsey Clark the one who volunteered to defend Saddam? He's been causing trouble forever. Why does he live in the US if he hates us so much?
The Left doesn't believe that the Islamos are innocents, being brutalized by an imperial U.S. The Left is using the Islamos, as they used the Soviet Army and the Viet Cong, as a surrogate army to do their dirty work in destroying the U.S.
If that isn't a statment of treason than I don't know what is.
I propose we do the same on-line here at FreeRepublic, except the accused will be John Kerry.
I'll even argue for Kerry: Although Kerry clearly admits his guilt of war atrocities, I say this was just a flip-flop and John Kerry never committed war atrocities.
I have made my case for Kerry. Freepers, how do you vote?
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