I don't know. This one really has me scratching my head.
That reminds me. I need to go buy some Head and Shoulders.
The head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick, wants to investigate the Bush administration. There are calls for taking all his cronies "away in hand cuffs" from many people. Some have also compared it to an American version of the Nuremberg Trials.
Fair enough.
My concern is: What exactly are they trying to accomplish?
It seems to me, if they put Bush on the stand, the history of American foreign policy will essentially be put on trial.
From Andrew Jackson (who expanded Federal authority and pushed forward with Manifest Destiny in concert with Jeffersonian policies) to FDR (who advocated war with Spain to protect and export American values also suppressed a rebellion in the Philippines and built the Panama Canal which came at a substantial human cost) to Woodrow Wilson (who was active in Latin America prior to WWI invading Mexico, Haiti, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic) - American imperialism or empire building or whatever you want to call it has an active trail.
More recently, JFK (who kicked started the Vietnam festivities as I've pointed out in the past as well as the architect behind the Bay of Pigs) and Bill Clinton (and his role in Kosovo and Somalia) were extremely popular Presidents who oddly have escaped criticism in American public opinion - though Clinton I believe was sought by the Hague. Come to think of it, imagine taking all those leaders who lead Europe during the era of realpolitik during the Treaty of Westphalia years to court!
Now keep in mind, I'm aware international laws and treaties were different in the eras mentioned.
Anyway, at least Noam Chomsky doesn't pick sides. He has put American history on trial through his writings.
I digress.
It remains to be seen what strand of American foreign policy Obama will follow but what will be Obama's foreign policy leitmotif? Iran?
Anyway, this is just to point out American power is a tad complex and goes well beyond poor ole Georgy.
If this crusade was to begin a real and meaningful shift in American attitudes and values about new war frontiers and imperialism then so be it. Let justice and democracy guide a new America.
However, I'm skeptical this is the case.
This simply wreaks of short sighted political partisanship.
Singling Bush out is a massive showcase in hypocrisy and an outright exercise in denying American history.
History, not only USA History, is full of reprehensible behaviours by leaders in all countries and all eras, whatever the laws and treaties of the times were, they were infringed upon.
ReplyDeleteShould Bush and his accomplices be singled out more than the other culprits? The question here should be, as for all other criminals: can we establish a criminal intent? Yes? Then prosecute. No? Then no charges should be laid. Is it worth the cost to tax payers? Probably not.