Kuala Lumpur: in a trial attended by jurists
from throughout the world the war crimes trial of George W. Bush and
Tony Blair before a people's court has concluded with a verdict of
"guilty." The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission charged both
"with having committed Crimes against Peace, in that they have planned,
prepared and invaded the sovereign state of Iraq on 19 March 2003 in
violation of the United Nations Charter and international law" (Extempore Judgement).
Both prosecution and defense relied heavily on official data. Among
arguments presented by the defense was the tacit United Nation approval
given the US NATO attack on Kosovo and the Republic of Yugosalvia in
1999 and the invasions of Iraq. While the attorneys involved (notably
from the U.S. Francis A. Boyle and Alfred L. Webre) are respected for
their refusal to compromise the obvious, the people's court lacks the
power to apply international law. The Tribunal Judgement recommends
invoking the Nuremburg law to prosecute the defendants, and requires
filing of the "reports of genocide and crimes against humanity with the
International Criminal Court" (Extempore Judgement). The trial
has clarified two issues: 1. the guilt of Bush and Blair under
international law; 2. the controls of international courts which have
attempted to assure powerful leaders protection from the law.
Recommended: The BRussells Tribunal archive of the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal [access:< http://www.brussellstribunal.org/ >]; Prof. Francis Boyle's "Iraq and the Laws of War," and "Law and Resistance: the Republic in Crisis and the People’s Response," are available on nightslantern. Alfred L. Webre's awareness of the effects of depleted uranium is noted on these pages, 1 and 2.