Germany Rejects Call for Rumsfeld War Crimes Probe

[no_to_war_economy]

Germany's federal prosecutor Thursday rejected calls to investigate allegations that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was guilty of war crimes over the Iraq prisoner abuse scandal.

The U.S. Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and four Iraqis who say they were abused by American soldiers at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison had filed a criminal complaint with German Federal Prosecutor Kay Nehm in November.

They were seeking to take advantage of a 2002 German law allowing for the prosecution of human rights abuses and war crimes regardless of the where they occur.

http://reuters.myway.com//article/20050210/2005-02-10T135620Z_01_L10601056_RTRIDST_0_POLITICS-GERMANY-RUMSFELD-ABUSE-DC.html

[Pam-Moby]

2. Smells like someone was either paid off or

threatened with the possibility of disappearing from the face of the earth if this charge went through!!!

[ixion]

3. the only people Bushistas pay off are their own kind

all others get the standard threats, lies and extortion.

[Quakerfriend]

4. Oh, I had put so much hope in this.

We desparately need some international help in bringing this admin. down.

[Betsy Ross]

5. Must be the good works of Condi.

Wouldn't you be nervous if she smiled her Bushco smile and said "no attacks on Rumsfeld or else."

[LeaderlessResistance]

6. U.S. Torture

I have heard that Abu Ghraib style torture goes on in the United States prison system. That the controlled media does not report on it. I did some volunteer work where I met some people who had recently got out of jail. Apparently the Justice department (Ashcroft and Alberto Gonzalez) approve of torture up to organ failure.

[understandinglife]

7. Important to read these two sentences:

"The German federal prosecutor said in a statement it was up to the United States in the first instance to pursue legal action against the alleged perpetrators and their superiors."

"German prosecutors could only step in if U.S. authorities failed to act, for which there was currently no evidence, the prosecutor added."

What I imagine CCR will now do is demonstrate to the German federal prosecutor that U.S. authorities are indeed failing to act.

I see a clear message from the German federal prosecutor to the USA -- you've got a bit more time to act.

Peace.


BE THE BU$H OPPOSITION;24/7

[struggle4progress]

16. I guess the whole thing will need to be refiled in 09 or 10. eom

[understandinglife]

19. More like June '05. (nt)

TBO;24/7

[struggle4progress]

20. Anything except optimism to support the view that the Germans ...

... would consider that time-period evidence of failure to act?

[understandinglife]

21. World wide events scheduled for 19, 20 March 2005 if left un-answered...

....by the US Congress, should be ample justification for CCR to return to the German Federal Prosecutor ~ 3 months later with a request to indict the criminal.

I don't consider it "optimism" because I think we are likely to see the largest national and international anti-war demonstration, ever, against the illegal war in Iraq and its perpetrators. No action by the US would be ample justification for the German Federal Prosecutor to act in a timely manner.


Peace.

TBO;24/7

[Lori Price CLG]

8. German Prosecutor Won't Pursue Rumsfeld Case

Dead-End For War Crimes Accusations: German Prosecutor Won't Pursue Rumsfeld Case --Germany's federal prosecutor says the allegations that United States Secretary of Defense (W-ar criminal) Donald Rumsfeld and other top Washington brass were responsible for Abu Ghraib must be investigated in the US, not under German war crimes laws. The decision deals a blow to the American group that brought the case, but it could ease German-American tensions.

<snip>

Lori R. Price
Gen. Mgr., Citizens for Legitimate Government
http://www.legitgov.org/

Receive the (free) CLG Newsletter every day!
http://www.legitgov.org/#subscribe_clg

[Fridays Child]

1. I agree that they should be investigated here but, somehow, it felt so...

...vindicating to think that Rumsfeld could not enter Germany for fear of artrest.

[seriousstan]

9. WOW, didn't see that coming

<sarcasm off>

[Roland99]

11. Someone got to him...look for some trade deals or favorable policies

toward Germany in the near future.

[gottaB]

10. Okay Germans, what's wrong with this picture?

Will anybody defend the SPD or Kay Nehm on this issue? Nobody in their right mind expects AG Gonzales to pursue the case against Rumsfeld. Ipso facto, Nehm's decision is clearly a setback for international human rights. Do you disagree? If you agree with that conclusion, is it not also a setback for Germany?

[Turley]

12. I hate to say I told you so.....

but I did tell you so. No US administration official is ever going to be charged in Germany. It just ain't gonna happen.

[rodeodance]

13. well, sad-guess rummy can go to germany now

[jjtss]

14. Germany said only if the US failed to prosecute......

which I don' understand because Dam Rum has not been prosecuted, only his employees. Glad I don't work for him, my name isn't patsy.

[earth mom]

15. I'm surprised there isn't more outrage about this on this thread!

Now the rest of the world is turning their backs on these crimes too? Unbelievable! :mad:

[GetTheRightVote]

17. Perhaps they know something we do not, that we are going to get

the job done right here in our own country. The wind is blowing against the repubs due to abuses to the working/poor classes here at home and at war otherwise.

:kick:

[Lizzie Borden]

18. The irony of Germany not wanting to prosecute

for war crimes should not be overlooked.

[lebkuchen]

22. The Security Council meeting starts tomorrow in Munich

Interesting timing on the dropping of this case