It astonished me that a number of callers had no understanding of even the most elementary principles of justice as expressed in the Constitution and international law - principles like habeas corpus, humane treatment of prisoners, the right to a speedy trial and the right to security from illegal search and seizure. They would be willing to simply grab anyone off the street that Bush calls an enemy combatant (even you or your neighbor) and lock him or her up forever without ever charging them with any crime.
Alberto Gonzales has called the Geneva Conventions "quaint"and contends that everyone being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is an enemy combatant with no right of habeas corpus. He claims that captured enemy combatants, whether soldiers or saboteurs, may be detained for the duration of hostilities. They need not be guilty of anything; they are detained simply by virtue of their status as enemy combatants.
According to the International Red Cross:
Captured combatants and civilians who find themselves under the authority of the adverse party are entitled to respect for their lives, their dignity, their personal rights and their political, religious and other convictions. They must be protected against all acts of violence or reprisal. They are entitled to exchange news with their families and receive aid. They must enjoy basic judicial guarantees.
George W. Bush has waged an unprovoked war of aggression against Iraq and for that reason alone should be charged with crimes against humanity, brought before the international court of justice and tried as a war criminal.
In addition he has violated all standards of humane behavior by authorizing torture of those whom he decides is an enemy combatant.
He has abrogated international treaties and made America the most feared and despised country in the world.
His policies have thwarted international efforts to bring global warming under control, the consequences of this may well be irreversible and cause life and property loss for coastal areas worldwide.
His fiscal policies have benefitted only the wealthiest one percent of our people while bankrupting the national treasury. The consequences of this will be a financial collapse that will cause the greatest financial dislocations we have ever known, involving massive unemployment and perhaps even armed insurrection in the streets.
I predict that if he and Cheney are permitted to finish out the remaining two years of their terms he will resign shortly before the inauguration of the incoming Democratic president, making Cheney president for a week or two who then, like Ford vis-a-vis Nixon, will pardon him for all crimes he may have committed during his eight year tenure. It is likely that he and his family will then relocate to the 100,000 acre ranch they recently bought in Paraguay
While he will undoubtedly escape justice it will take generations for America to recover, if at all, from the damage he has done In the meantime perhaps we can learn humility and apologize to the rest of the world for our arrogance and try to make whatever amends we can. And just maybe we will be respected again and welcomed back as a contributing member of the family of peace-loving nations.
