Pursue Them! Pursue Them to the Grave!

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Tag(s): Accountability; Bush-s Vietnam Iraq; Government; Law; Vietnam; War Iraq
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October 31, 2007 at 05:46:11

Pursue Them! Pursue Them to the Grave!

by Stephen Pizzo Page 1 of 2 page(s)

http://www.opednews.com

Those us of a certain age have been here and done this before. And many of us wonder how we could possibly allowed ourselves to be sucked into it again. And then it dawned on me this weekend -- the one critical thing we did not learn from our disastrous Vietnam experience. It's not what we did, but what we failed to do. And that one thing is the reason for nearly everything that's gone so terribly wrong in Iraq and our so-called "war on terror."

Got your pen? Because we can't afford to ever for this again. Okay, here it is:

Accountability -- personal, civil, criminal and international accountability.

We forced just that on Nazi government, officials, military and collaborators after WW II. And we insisted on it for the Khmer Rouge butchers of Cambodia. We even imposed it on the leaders we deposed in Iraq who are, one by one, being tried and hung for the crimes they committed against Shiites in Iraq.

But nothing even close to that happened to the men who trumped up and executed the war in Vietnam. The only accountability they've faced has been easily dismissed rhetorical scoldings. Instead of facing their accusers in a court of law they were allowed to go on with their lives as if the blood of thousands wasn't virtually dripping from their hands.

Henry Kissinger, Robert McNamara and other's in the Johnson and Nixon administrations actually went on to advise other presidents and continue to live the good life unmolested -- un-prosecuted.

It's a fact of history that undoubtedly gave considerable aid and comfort to officials of the current administration. Great comfort must have been provided by the sight of Henry Kissinger popping in and out of the Bush White House and McNamara appearing on panels with academic and other former government officials. Those two men alone are responsible for the deaths of more civilians than Saddam Hussein's entire bloody career. Yet nearly 40 after their crime spree, they walk free, respected, included, wealthy.

Which is, I believe, precisely why the current bunch in power didn't give a second thought to creating their own Gulf of Tonkin lies to justify attacking Iraq -- (remember those non-existent stockpiles of WMD?) And it's the reason why they've lost no sleep over violating the legal rights of detainees, kidnapping people around the world and even embracing torture.

After all, it had all been done during the Vietnam War -- no one got busted -- so what's the sweat?

I would suggest -- and strongly so -- that the core reason our soldiers are now bogged down in Iraq, 35-years years after the last US soldier died for our "mistake" in Vietnam, is because no one was ever held legally accountable for the crimes committed during that illegal and immoral war.

Henry Kissinger, the key architect of Nixon's Vietnam strategy, has never been forced to raise his hand and swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth -- then forced to do so. He and others involved have instead been allowed to go their merry ways. They've been allowed to hide behind "national security," and incriminating documents that, to this day, remain "classified." (See also Chris Hitchens: "The Trial of Henry Kissinger")

None of that would have gotten past the panel of judges in Nuremberg 60-years ago. Nazi government officials and their collaborators in the business community had accountability forced on them. They had to confront and try to justify their own words, their own orders, their own crimes.

Which may well be why we've not seen a repeat of that kind of behavior by European governments since. The last thing politicians or military leaders want is to risk is forced accountability... something that could lead to prison, poverty or even a stretched neck. (Though I am forced to admit that some ex-officials of the former Yugoslavia required -- and are getting -- a refresher course now at the Hague. But even that makes my point because, there at least, forced accountability is what's being served up to those who so richly deserve it.)

Finally the end of our latest war of choice, the one in Iraq, is slowly limping into sight. It will end, and when it does, let's see if we can get the post-war part of this sorry saga right this time. By which I mean that the men and women who created and carried out this murderous mess must pay personally.

We must, insure that this never happens again. And the only way to insure that is to let the next generation of leaders -- and all that follow -- know for certain they are not above the law -- not above the law of this land, not above the Geneva Conventions and not above the reach of their victims.

If you want your grandkids dying in the next Vietnam or Iraq then do nothing and they will. Let Bush administration officials leave office on January 21, 2009 to pursue normal lives and we will assure another Vietnam, and another Iraq, and another, and another...

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http://www.newsforreal.com

Stephen Pizzo has been published everywhere from The New York Times to Mother Jones magazine. His book, Inside Job: The Looting of America's Savings and Loans, was nominated for a Pulitzer.

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5 comments

Editor of Common Sense Political Thought, mostly Republican (but not always), mostly conservative (but again, not always), always interesting.
Dana PicoEditor of Common Sense Political Thought, mostly Republican (but not always), mostly conservative (but again, not always), always interesting.

Uhhh, Dr Kissinger helped get us OUT of Vietnam

When President Nixon took office, he inherited the war in Vietnam; he didn't start it and Henry Kissinger didn't start it. He thought that he might be able to win it, tried, found out he couldn't, and then had Henry Kissinger try to figure out a face-saving way out. Dr Kissinger and Le Duc Tho negotiated a cockamamie scheme which allowed the US a fig-leaf of respectability, even though it was never more than a cut-and-run deal; the communists would give us enough of a respite to pull out, and once we were out and the Democrats in Congress wouldn't allow us to go back in, then they stepped up and took over.

Without the agreement Dr Kissinger negotiated, President Nixon would not have pulled out of Vietnam.

by Dana Pico (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 135 comments) on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 7:07:41 AM

Kevin Gosztola goes to Columbia College in Chicago where he is studying film. He hopes to become a documentary filmmaker. He is currently working as a production assistant on a documentary called "Seriously Green" which traces the development of the Green Party throughout the 2008 election. He has a passion for journalism and writes articles or press releases in his spare time. Kevin Gosztola is also a student activist who believes in questioning the way America's systems work(its electoral sys...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Kevin GosztolaKevin Gosztola goes to Columbia College in Chicago where he is studying film. He hopes to become a documentary filmmaker. He is currently working as a production assistant on a documentary called "Seriously Green" which traces the development of the Green Party throughout the 2008 election. He has a passion for journalism and writes articles or press releases in his spare time. Kevin Gosztola is also a student activist who believes in questioning the way America's systems work(its electoral sys...

to see more of bio, click on member name

The Bigger Issue: The ICC

What we are talking about here is America's total and utter disdain for participating in a system of international law where universal juridiction is upheld and where impunity is a practice abandoned. Kissinger goes on unprosecuted because the International Criminal Court (ICC) is not allowed to prosecute him for war crimes. America has navigated its way specifically so that nobody in America will ever come to trial in ICC. It has made the court a court specifically set up to go after Third World Criminals and not Leaders of the Free World.

Until we get leaders who recognize the importance of holding leaders in this nation accountable, we will be talking about people like Henry Kissinger roaming free from now until kingdom come.

by Kevin Gosztola (172 articles, 88 quicklinks, 62 diaries, 705 comments) on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 11:42:38 AM

I think that all people must be held accountable for their actions under the law. Everyone must be treated the same under International Law, National Laws, and Local Laws, NO EXCEPTIONS! ----- www.CitizenAmendments.org ----- I support the Mike Gravel National Initiative for Democracy (WWW.NI4D.US)
Anton GrambihlerI think that all people must be held accountable for their actions under the law. Everyone must be treated the same under International Law, National Laws, and Local Laws, NO EXCEPTIONS! ----- www.CitizenAmendments.org ----- I support the Mike Gravel National Initiative for Democracy (WWW.NI4D.US)

Is there still a free world?

I think that the Free World no longer exitsts.

by Anton Grambihler (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 253 comments) on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 10:29:26 PM

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Thomas Bonsell is a former newspaper editor (in Oregon, New York and Colorado) United States Air Force cryptanalyst and National Security Agency intelligence agent. He became one of American journalism's leading constitutional experts through years of study at Georgetown University Graduate School of Government in Washington, D.C., and tries (without much success) to be patient with people who argue endlessly on su...

to see more of bio, click on member name
tabonsell*****************************************************

Thomas Bonsell is a former newspaper editor (in Oregon, New York and Colorado) United States Air Force cryptanalyst and National Security Agency intelligence agent. He became one of American journalism's leading constitutional experts through years of study at Georgetown University Graduate School of Government in Washington, D.C., and tries (without much success) to be patient with people who argue endlessly on su...

to see more of bio, click on member name

DIFFERENCE

While there are similarities to the Vietnam mess and the Iraq disaster, there is a major difference that must be considered.

The US went into Vietnam under conditions ~ slightly skewed ~ of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organizations, which called for all signatory parties to come to the aid of other signatory parties when under military attack. Vietnam was a colony of France, a party to the treaty, so the US went to assist France. Unfortunately, the treaty was intended to apply to external attacks, not internal, as the Vietnam war was in the beginning. That is why LBJ had to stage the Tonkin incident, in order to have a external enemy, North Vietnam.

It matters not that Henry Kissinger extracted the US from the war, any crime committed would be what he did during the war. One of the war crimes was to take the fight without justification into Cambodia and Laos, two completely innocent nations. That was just as much a war crime as Hitler invading Poland, Saddam Hussein invading Iran or Kuwait and Bush invading Iraq.

And who started the Vietnam war is also immaterial. The first American troops sent into the Vietnam situation were dispatched by Dwight Eisenhower, but they were few and were only advisors. Kennedy added to the advisory capacity as did Johnson, until it was clear that most South Vietnamese had no incentive to fight their South Vietnamese neighbors (the Viet Cong) so the US took over most of the fighting under the "anticommunism" banner.

by tabonsell (28 articles, 0 quicklinks, 22 diaries, 246 comments) on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 5:24:34 PM

Brett Paatsch is an Australian born secular humanist with degrees in management and science and an interest in politics. He is a former pro-American that wishes to be pro-American again and thinks the impeachment and repudiation of President George W Bush for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 is necessary to reestablish trust in American signatures on international treaties and confidence in the global rule of law.
Brett PaatschBrett Paatsch is an Australian born secular humanist with degrees in management and science and an interest in politics. He is a former pro-American that wishes to be pro-American again and thinks the impeachment and repudiation of President George W Bush for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 is necessary to reestablish trust in American signatures on international treaties and confidence in the global rule of law.

You may be presuming you've more time than you do

"The only way to make sure that is not the future we hand to our kids and grandkids is for you and I and the international community to dedicate ourselves to the notion that January 21, 2009 is not the end of anything, but just the beginning."

I like the tenor of your article. But I wouldn't want you to think that Americans giving themselves until the next President comes into office as a starting point for making amends is acceptable. It isn't. Impeachment needs to start sooner. To give yourself licence to wait until 2009 is to presume too much tolerance and forebearance by the rest of the world.

People including foreigners that share the world with Americans start making plans including tit for tat game theoretic plans when defaults occur.The default (in global game theoretic terms) occurred in March 2003. And it has not yet been corrected.

If you take a longer view backwards then Vietnam you will see plenty of examples in human history where those that went along with the policies of their warlike leaders for too long and left it too long to take a stand against them suffered with them.

I'm not a religious person but one of my thought models of America is that is a sort of democratic sodom and gommorah experiment. Fail to impeach, fail to honor your promises and respect your treaties and all those south of Canada and north of Mexico may be collectively judged in the aggregate. It may take a long time but American exceptionalism and hypocrisy cannot stand against the world.

Americans should not assume that you (or they) can wait until 21 January 2009 to show the world that they are deeply and genuinely sorry for the lawless actions of President George W Bush and that they the "we the people" people repudiate them.

In the first of the Federalist Papers Alexander Hamilton remarked

"It has been frequently remarked that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force."

There is too much hubris there about "the people of this country". The people of other countries and of organisations smaller than countries are capable of judging and acting on their judgement on America too. It is possible to so incite terrorism by neglect and compacency to very great crimes against humanity (such as launching unjust illegal wars) as to morally justify it. Let that not be what Americans do.

Impeachment is a moral imperative. I cannot say for sure how long America will get but history suggests that humans do not forget recorded slights and the events of March 2003 are as much a part of documented history as September 2001 is a part of American history.

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 2 quicklinks, 17 diaries, 784 comments) on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 10:50:09 PM