Rumsfeld may skip German visit to avoid war crimes prosecution

[mopaul]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0202-09.htm

WASHINGTON - Concern that US leaders and military personnel risk prosecution in Germany for alleged war crimes has become a factor in deciding whether US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will attend an international security conference in Munich, a Pentagon spokesman said.


Concern that US leaders and military personnel risk prosecution in Germany for alleged war crimes has become a factor in deciding whether US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, seen here January 2005, will attend an international security conference in Munich, a Pentagon spokesman said. (AFP/Don Emmert)

US defense secretaries have rarely missed the Munich conference, an annual gathering of the world's top defense and national security officials and experts for two days of frank debate on major issues of war and peace.



But Rumsfeld has announced no plans to attend this year's meeting February 11-13 even though he will be attending a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Nice, France just before it.

[Pam-Moby]

1. What is this Rumsfeld may skip German?

He has done nothing WRONG. Why is he avoiding Germany? What a baby. (sarcasm)

[paineinthearse]

2. Again?

There was a similar item about 2-3 weeks ago, prior to his Poland trip. I remember it cause I commented "he remembered Poland".

[Ironpost]

3. In this he has shown us that he can make a wise decision

[mopaul]

4. before you know it they won't invite him to ANY nice affairs of state

why have a turd in the punchbowl?

[AzDar]

5. Did you ever, EVER, think you'd be reading a headline like this

regarding a member of an AMERICAN Presidential Administration? What has this Dumbf**k done to my Country????

[SmokingJacket]

15. Holy sh** you're right.

Through the looking glass.

That's how they got Pinochet, isn't it?

I can't believe what we've come to.

[HereSince1628]

6. He needs to be careful visiting South America too.

Maybe someday he'll be abducted and rendered to a jurisdiction that will prosecute him.

[Swamp Rat]

9. Hope Springs Eternal

[whistle]

11. Oh god, that is real terror

[Swamp Rat]

13. If you mean "real" as in actually exists, yes. The SSB does exist,

just ask Rummy.

Let's see here, "Strategic Support Branch" ... mein Deutsch ist sehr schlecht aber...

Strategic Support Branch=SSB=Schutzstaffel Büro

Maybe it can be modified to follow the acronym better: "Schutz-Staffel Branche"

edit: If, Waffen SS=Strategic Support Branch, then Rummy is a Nazi. HAHA! modus ponens :D

[aquart]

7. LOL!

[cheezus]

8. who cares, they're "old europe"

as in, the european countries we don't like

[Cuban_Liberal]

10. I never thought I would live to see the day...

... when an American SOD had been charged as a war criminal. I weep for my country.

:cry:

[coreystone]

12. I struggled through a William Kristol (co-founder of Pnac) last night...

on C-SPAN2, and, he did not have very positive comments to make about Rumsfeld. He basically said that that was the President's decision. Strange about Rumsfeld association with in PNAC.

:-)

[Ian David]

14. Would the Germans arrest our ordinary troops?

If a prison guard needed an emergency medical evacuation to Germany, would they treat him and then detain him?

Or heck... would they just lay seige to an entire American military base until Rumsfeld turns himself in?