Posted on 02/02/2005 12:02:12 AM PST by Stoat
Rumsfeld considers war crime prosecution riskConcern that US leaders and military personnel risk prosecution in Germany for alleged war crimes has become a factor in deciding whether US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will attend an international security conference in Munich, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday. US defence secretaries have rarely missed the Munich conference, an annual gathering of the world's top defence and national security officials and experts for two days of frank debate on major issues of war and peace. Mr Rumsfeld has announced no plans to attend this year's meeting from February 11-13 even though he will be attending a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Nice, France just before it. Pentagon spokesman Lawrence DiRita said it remains to be determined whether Mr Rumsfeld will attend the Munich meeting. The meeting's organiser, Horst Teltschik, said last month Mr Rumsfeld was not going. Mr Rumsfeld was among 10 high-ranking US civilian and military officials named in a criminal complaint filed November 30 with a German federal prosecutor by a US legal rights group seeking an investigation into the Americans' role in the torture and abuse of detainees in Iraq. Under Germany's Code of Crimes Against International Law, which was introduced in 2002, German courts have universal jurisdiction in war crimes and crimes against humanity. Acknowledging US concern about the German law, Mr DiRita told AFP, "It's a factor in the decision" on whether Rumsfeld attends the Munich conference. "It's not just a question of the secretary's travel. We have many thousands of US forces stationed there, some of which are named in this brief. So it's a big, big problem," he said. He said the issue was being "worked on a government-wide basis". "My impression is the German Government understands the gravity of this matter, but there are some unique aspects that will take time to address," he said. A Berlin newspaper reported last week that the German federal prosecutor opted not to take legal action against Mr Rumsfeld because no German citizen was a victim of abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison. The New York-based Centre For Constitution Rights, which filed the initial complaint, said on Friday it has filed new documents in the case, contending that attorney-general nominee Alberto Gonzalez had implicated himself in war crimes in Iraq, including torture at Abu Ghraib, in his Senate confirmation testimony. |
I know. I'm just playin' with him.
ROFL. But, hey, don´t think the German army were weak: "Ve haf vays off macking yu sinking ve were week. Butt instad, ve haff hutegh undergraund armies!"
Seriously, IF (LOL) we arrested him, he wouldn´t survive the day of an American invasion or resuce mission. I always wonder why the guards in the movies don´t shoot the hostages once they realize that they´ll die soon!?
And the German people wonder why we are going to move our military personnel out of there?
This is indeed a real funny thread. I´m laughing right now, because I had the same idea (like Lazamataz) to prentend that we were trying to "lull" you in safety. "Ve haff hutegh armies in our undergraund!" ;-)
Make the "real" a "really".
If the courts over there are stupid enough to accept this case...
Actually it would make a even funnier movie if done by conservative Germans because they could do a lot of needed social commentary. There are issues that sometimes only good comedy can get away with saying. There could also be some good natured jokes about the United States that would have German audiences rolling. In American movies the hostage almost never gets shot because it would ruin the film. Since I guess German humor is darker, they could kill off the hostage 47 times if they wanted. I would hate to see a grand old gentleman like Donald Rumsfeld done any harm, even in a make believe movie. Erklaren Sie nicht uber die unterirdischen Armeen des Geheimnisses. LOL
Nope, neither the courts nor the Prosecutors accept this report. They just have to investigate before they send it back with a gentle "No, thanks!"
I figure you wanted to say "Don´t tell about the secret underground armies!" Instead you said "Don´t explain about the underground armies of the secret!" :-D
These Germans have egg all over their faces when it comes to war crimes. Those people still can't face themselves for Hitler and WWII, or at least many of them are in denial. I have a German sister in law, and I seriously doubt whether or not her children have any concept of the Holocaust and Hitler. It's hard to face the truth when you are not the hero, so most don't.
Absolutely. Your laughter will soon end in sorry silence - once our U-Armies sour up from their hidden places. ;-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.