Spain Goes After "Bush 6" for war crimes

[volinbham]

Nation & World | Judge considers U.S. torture case | Seattle Times Newspaper

MADRID, Spain — A high-profile Spanish judge has initiated a possible investigation of alleged torture and war crimes by six former U.S. officials who created the legal framework for interrogations at the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, a senior Spanish official said Saturday.

Judge Baltasar Garzón, of Spain's highest court, requested that a prosecutor examine a complaint that inmates-rights advocates had filed against Bush administration officials last year, said the senior official, who requested anonymity.

The complaint, filed by a Spanish group called the Association for Dignity of Inmates, is based on the Geneva Conventions and the 1984 Convention Against Torture, which is binding on 145 countries, including Spain and the United States. Countries party to the torture convention are obliged to investigate torture cases, especially when a citizen has been abused.

Unbelievable.

 

[Pepe_Silvia]

They're still sore about the Spanish-American War.

 

[orangeblooded2]

.

 

[orangeblooded2]

hmy:

 

[rjd970]

I wonder how often they have tried to pursue cases against N. Korea, name your country in the Middle East, or other dictatorships?

 

[GASOUTHERNVOL]

the funny thing is that the geneva convention only cover soldiers of a nation, not thugs of a religion

 

[volinbham]

What should the administration's reaction be? Back-channel diplomacy? Public statements? Ignore it?

 

[GASOUTHERNVOL]

What should the administration's reaction be? Back-channel diplomacy? Public statements? Ignore it?

well if we had an administration that was on his knees with the UN then the proper response would be :the_finger:

 

[KB5252]

the funny thing is that the geneva convention only cover soldiers of a nation, not thugs of a religion

It looks like they are going to pursue this by using the 84 Convention against torture, since it is binding, however I would be very surprised if there was no loophole or exception set forth somewhere in the document.

I agree the Geneva Convention has no bearing what so ever in this case, they were not regulated or uniformed soldiers under a chain of command.

 

[KB5252]

What should the administration's reaction be? Back-channel diplomacy? Public statements? Ignore it?

Ignore it, what teeth could the jurisdiction in Spain possibly have here? This is little more than petty pandering on their part.

 

[rjd970]

What should the administration's reaction be? Back-channel diplomacy? Public statements? Ignore it?

Ignore it. It won't go anywhere. We have bigger problems to focus on right now.

It doesn't, however, change the fact that it is a silly excercise in futility on their part.

 

[GASOUTHERNVOL]

if torturing a few terrorists prevents the death of even one innocent person then im all for it, waterboard the hell out of them, im talkin pull out some inquisition techniques

 

[OrangeEmpire]

Good for Spain, I am confident the father will send them Bush and Tommy Franks!

 

[volinbham]

I'd be interesting to hear the administration's formal position on this - wonder if a reporter will ask.

 

[OrangeEmpire]

I'd be interesting to hear the administration's formal position on this - wonder if a reporter will ask.

It will be asked and the pencil neck is going to smile and give some crazy answer.

 

[TENNFOLD1974]

What a crock of chit.:the_finger:

 

[gsvol]

I'd be interesting to hear the administration's formal position on this - wonder if a reporter will ask.

Hasn't our attorney general eric holder previously expressed interest in prosecuting bush and cheney.

I will not forget that my two representatives in the senate, alexander and corker, voted to confirm holder.

The fact only about half the republican senators, 21, voted against this terrorist friendly nutbag almost completely turns me off against the republican party but that no republican senator filibustered against his conformation makes me feel I have little if any good feelings toward the republican party.

 

[rjd970]

if torturing a few terrorists prevents the death of even one innocent person then im all for it, waterboard the hell out of them, im talkin pull out some inquisition techniques

This is one time I agree with you. I read an interesting piece comparing collateral damage in war with torturing individuals.

Anytime we go into battle or drop bombs we go into it knowing collateral damage is a certainty in some cases. We, as a nation, generally accept this because because the moral ends of what we are doing justifies the means. Anybody that is against torture, but has no problem with what we did in Dresden, or Hiroshima is the ultimate hypocrit. What is killing innocent civilians, if it isn't the ultimate form of torture? If we are willing to risk the suffering and killing of countless innocent people to achieve a moral ends, we should absolutely be willing to inflict suffering on somebody we know isn't innocent if we know it will saves lives.