Jennifer Van Bergen11 maart 2008 – 15:57

The United States has violated over 50 years of treaty and customary international law in its "preemptive" invasion of Iraq; in its promulgation of interrogation techniques that are either cruel, degrading, inhuman/inhumane, or torture; in its failure to apply the Geneva Conventions and other laws of war to combatants and civilians; in its indefinite detentions in violation of Geneva and the US Constitution.

These flagrant abuses of long-accepted law will come back to haunt us, long after this administration is gone. These policies serve only to promote the interests of those in power and in the oil and weapons industry; they are destroying the economy, good name, and high moral standing of America. They are destroying the Iraqi people and have long since destroyed Iraq infrastructure, all in complete disregard of international human rights laws.

I quote international law professor Jordan J. Paust from pages 23-24 of his book, "Beyond the Law: The Bush Administration's Unlawful Responses in the 'War' on Terror":

"Not since the Nazi era have so many lawyers been so clearly involved in international crimes concerning the treatment and interrogation of persons detained during war ... I know of no other instance in the long history of the United States of a plan approved by lawyers and at the highest levels of our government systematically to deny human beings protections under the laws of war. I know of no other denial by a President of the United States of the fact that the laws of war apply to an international armed conflict during which U.S. armed forces engage an enemy in battle. I know of no other authorization of a President to deny treatment required under the Geneva Conventions. I know of no other instance in our history when a Secretary of Defense, top U.S. generals, or a DOD Working Group approved such denials of protections or the use of interrogation tacts that were either patentlyviolative of the laws of war or could clearly constitute violations in various circumstances."

Jennifer Van Bergen
journalist, author writing about civil liberties, human rights and international law - USA

Bericht aan de Bevolking is een initiatief van Het beschrijf, in samenwerking met het B/Russell/s Tribunal. Een aantal auteurs van deze teksten treedt ook aan op de Literaire Wake n.a.v. 5 jaar oorlog in Irak, op woensdag 19 maart van 20 u. tot 24 u. in Literatuurhuis Passa Porta, A. Dansaertstraat 46, 1000 Brussel. Zie www.passaporta.be

Link naar het overzicht