Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and retired Anglican Church archbishop of South Africa has called on the International Criminal Court to prosecute Tony Blair and George Bush for their role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
From NPR:
The Iraq war ‘has destabilized and polarized the world to a greater extent than any other conflict in history,’ wrote Tutu, who was awarded the Nobel prize in 1984.
‘Those responsible for this suffering and loss of life should be treading the same path as some of their African and Asian peers who have been made to answer for their actions in the Hague,’ he added.
The NPR report notes that the ICC “does not currently have the jurisdiction to prosecute crimes of aggression,” and that the kind of prosecution Tutu mentions would “likely come under the aggression category.”
And then there’s the fact that the U.S., among other nations, doesn’t recognize the ICC.
Al Jazeera reports:
Tutu argued that different standards appeared to apply for prosecuting African leaders than western counterparts, and added that the death toll during and after the Iraq conflict was sufficient for Blair and Bush to face trial. …
‘The then-leaders of the United States [Bush] and Great Britain [Blair] fabricated the grounds to behave like playground bullies and drive us further apart,’ he wrote.
‘They have driven us to the edge of a precipice where we now stand – with the spectre of Syria and Iran before us.’
(Desmond Tutu photo via The Elders)
One of the interviews I cherish is the one I did with former Ambassador Joe Wilson whose op-ed blew the lid off of the Bush-Cheney lies. His wife Valerie Plame was part of that interview.
That Wilson wrote the blurb on my book remains a singular honor for which I’m intensely grateful.
Democrats really did a disservice to this nation when they didn’t lower the hammer with a commission, whether it was Sen Leahy’s “truth commission” or something else.
It was dereliction of duty as far as I’m concerned and proof Congress exists today only to back up the boss in the White House. Democrats had control and could have done the right thing, but Obama didn’t want to “look back,” with Pelosi & everyone else signing on.
Ford’s move on Nixon started this nonsense, which escalated with Ronald Reagan, who should have been impeached for Iran-Contra. That Republicans impeached Bill Clinton over consensual sex, then Obama & Dems let Bush-Cheney off the hook, reveals how dishonorable our politics has become.
Terrific post and spot on response, Joyce and Taylor. I can so vividly remember the run-up to the invasion of Iraq and how incredibly outrageous it was.
Particularly glad you added the Ford on Nixon reference, Taylor.
Couldn’t possibly agree more. What is so astounding to me however is that the Dems seem to worry about things like that while the repugnantklan is willing to not only throw out the baby with the bathwater but to then throw out the bathtub and rip out the bathroom plumbing as well.