With Barack Obama refusing to allow the investigation, let alone the prosecution, of CIA employees or Bush Administration officials for our torture program, human rights and civil liberties groups are calling on Canada to fulfill international obligations and arrest George Bush on his planned visit to that country.
Groups like Human Rights Watch are citing “overwhelming evidence” that both Bush and other senior officials in his administration carried out a torture program and thus committed alleged war crimes. They note that Canada is legally bound under the Convention against Torture to prosecute individuals who have been implicated in carrying out such acts. Of course, that responsibility rests first and foremost with Obama and his administration, but the President has made it clear that this is not a convenient or optimal time for such action. Soon after taking office, Obama made clear that he would not allow any prosecution of a CIA employee for torture — a position he later expressed in a speech at the CIA. Later, his Administration refused to appoint a special or independent counsel to look at other possible targets and then issued a much ridiculed rationale for not prosecuting anyone for the torture program. As noted in recent columns, many Democrats have rationalized this clear violation of international law by noting that it would only serve to divide the country — the very argument used by countries like Syria to refuse to investigate war criminals. Such investigations are never convenient or popular. This is why countries had to come together and agree that, regardless of the time or popularity, they would fulfill their responsibilities under these treaties.
Previously, the public was informed by Wikileaks that the Obama Administration put great pressure on Spain to scuttle the work of its previously independent judiciary to investigate Bush officials. No doubt it is putting the same pressure on the Canadians. Some Canadians however may be reluctant to adopt the position of the U.S. that these laws should apply to other countries. We have already seen groups like the Taliban and countries like China cite our own inaction (here) on torture to dismiss any statement from the United States on human rights.
Source: RT
Are you denigrating a poster? Shame on you.
Amazing paranoia.
Jill, you stated on….
“1, October 13, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Bush has gone up North before where a person did try to make a citizens arrest. The RCMP intervened because they thought the citizen might well be struck down (as in killed) by said Secret Service. Therein lies the problem.
Canada, unlike the US, has an independent judiciary. They would likely hold Bush for trial should he be arrested, But Bush, like Obama, has a security detail which does not believe in their oath of office or the rule of law. They will not protect and defend the Constitution of the US, and I do believe this security detail (which also includes mercenaries) will commit violence to keep justice from occurring.”
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Damn, I agree with the above……..Make no question about it……That I know…and most of it I think to be true….What I do not understand is you do not include the portion of the Roberts Rule of Order…(in Jest) for Diplomatic Immunity…hell, Jill, even the Pope has that…..
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Scahill warned over and over about setting up a praetorian guard around any president. Unfortunately, that is exactly what has happened. These are dangerous men surrounded by even more dangerous people. By law, he should be arrested. By the US having no rule of law, he will not be.
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You are fear mongering………. If Scahill wanted to do it his way…Let him do it…..They enjoy IMMUNITY while in office…..If the Pope resigned….he could be prosecuted….Since Italy has given that 5 square mile city independence they can’t do a damn thing….Think about it…..WWII….and the people seeking solace outside of their country….
They will do what is necessary to protect the Person….
Bush has gone up North before where a person did try to make a citizens arrest. The RCMP intervened because they thought the citizen might well be struck down (as in killed) by said Secret Service. Therein lies the problem.
Canada, unlike the US, has an independent judiciary. They would likely hold Bush for trial should he be arrested, But Bush, like Obama, has a security detail which does not believe in their oath of office or the rule of law. They will not protect and defend the Constitution of the US, and I do believe this security detail (which also includes mercenaries) will commit violence to keep justice from occurring.
Scahill warned over and over about setting up a praetorian guard around any president. Unfortunately, that is exactly what has happened. These are dangerous men surrounded by even more dangerous people. By law, he should be arrested. By the US having no rule of law, he will not be.
Usually, in order to arrest somebody, they have to have committed some sort of crime. Just because these airheads don’t like President Bush, that isn’t a reason to arrest someone. And because he went after terrorists, that isn’t a reason to arrest someone either. It’s really ironic that these really ignorant people would say to arrest president Bush but probably had no problems with Hussein, for example, killing his own people in their own street. It’s funny they were not clamoring for his arrest.
Idiots.
FFLP,
You are wrong….Listen to NPR today for the Clean Air segment……They were discussing Madison…..
Jude Oh they could “escape”. They’re ready and equipped for just about any scenario. Even Canada. LOL
Fruit Flies, what could they possibly do? If the SS tried that, they’d still be IN Canada, which means they couldn’t escape, because ALL Canadian authorities could come after them. Until he’s out of Canada, he’d be subject to their authority. He wouldn’t travel with enough SS members to protect him from all of that.
I was talking to a buddy of mine that is in law enforcement and from what he’s telling me, first off, the Secret Service wouldn’t let those idiots get close to him anyway, and they would protect him even if they needed to take a bunch of the “Canadian authorities” out. It could get really nasty but surely Canada wouldn’t do something so idiotic.
Pilots are not allowed to carry their own firearms when they go abroad, and I know that US cops are not allowed to be armed in foreign countries. Most countries have similar policies about firearms. So I have no idea of what the protocol for the Secret Service is. As for airport protocol, I remember that the first Pres. Bush had to go through airport screening when he flew even with his SS detail.
The Canadians could indeed arrest him, and simply bring his own security detail downtown with him. They could have either the same jail cell or an adjacent one. No problem. If they decided to fight, I think that Bush would lose since there are more of them than his detail.
No…they would not…the way your question is worded evokes a “No” from me….
Puzzling,
There have if I recall correctly somewhere…sworn a duty to die in the line of duty in defending the person that they are protecting….So, I think you are correct….
Would the secret service even allow Bush to be arrested?
Wootsy,
Thank you….
I haven’t ever had any feelings for Canada but if they did something as idiotic as arrest President Bush, then that would put them in company with bottom dwelling creatures in the ocean, that eat feces of life forms above.
We have a certifiable nutjob for president now, that can’t even prove he’s a US Citizen, and he’s almost completely destroyed the economy, the job market, and just about everything else and these idiots want to arrest President Bush??? Take Obama, PLEASE! We’ll bring him to you. We’ll pay for the gas! We’ll pay shipping, whatever you need. Take the poisoned purple koolaid and Obama.
Woosty,
Thanks for that video.
🙂
Woosty:
For a myriad of reasons “no” (not since high school,) and probably not. I don’t like the ethical contorsions you have to do to get elected and then to stay there. I ‘d rather rant for my clients.
It “would be” interesting to see if these same “Groups” that are urging Canada to arrest Former President Bush for torture, would call on Canada to arrest President Obama for murder, in regards to his ordering the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki.
I say it “would be” interesting simply because this will never happen.
These same “Groups” calling for Bush’s arrest have, and will continue to, pay no attention to Obama’s actions, no matter how egregious.
These “Groups” have lost all credibility! It’s pure hypocrisy!
“Will Canada Arrest George Bush?”
No.
They’ve decided that one of their austerity moves will be to spend millions on patriotically remembering a war that in essence has no effect on today from a business/economic stand point.
You see how smart the Consevatives are here in Canada. The old wag the dog again. Bush is going to visit in the near future so all of a sudden all the lamestream media in Canada release a news release that if not for the defeat of the American colonies in 1812 Canada would not exist. You see his office is taking the eyes of Canadians off tomorrow and focusing it on yesterday. Let the public bask in their swoony dreams of yore while today the criminals walk right in. jmho
Ha, Harper (our PM) has his nose so far up Uncle Sam’s ass he looks normal…. he’s red white and blue, or white and blue in Canada. In other words not a snowball’s chance in hell….
mespo7272721, October 13, 2011 at 10:51 am
…….
It is not a choice between principles but the hard work of working within the framework of all of those principles that is the greatest challenge……
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Have you ever run for office???
Would you?