The Iraq War was illegal

[whiffey]

So , please can someone tell me the next step. Very obviously Bush and Blair are disgusting War Criminals, but who is going to arrest them. Do you want special scaffolds erected in a gymnasium after the inevitable convictions.

Incidentally, who creates International Law ? And who cares provided the supermarket shelves are stacked and there is petrol for your 4x4 SUV.

A load of hot air, all of it.

[Bazile]

How about you making a citizen's arrest ?

[noxlumos]

Actually I care whiffey and so most thinking people.

[-Zorro-]

whiffet....Bush is not responsible in the least.....you need a brain to be responsible.

Sadam and his mob were evil...but possible no more evil than the American regime.

Its all a game...shame inocent people have to die in this game.

[jake-the-peg]

So what you're saying is you don't know about International Law but you think it's a load of hot air?

Do you always have such strong opinions on things you don't understand?

Just on the off chance that you might want to actually find the answer to that question you might like to read

here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_internatio nal_law
or here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sources_of_intern ational_law

[whiffey]

Yes, it is hot air. I would be more impressed with the anti-British anti-USA anti-Bush anti-Blair views if they were expressed from anywhere other than a comfy Western armchair. It's easy to be right when you can just pop down to Tesco's in the morning.

Was the bombing of Hiroshima a war crime, the obliteration of Dresden, Hamburg ?

[-Zorro-]

Im not in an armchair....im sitting on a tiny table coz my fold up comfy computer chair broke....

My tiny table ...of the type that fits under a larger table..that fits under an even larger table etc...dont know what they are called collectively........is about 2 feet high..and very uncomfortable...and is doing my neck in for some reason.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Initially, the bombing of the East End was going to be cited as a war crime at the Nuremburg trails, but then some inconveient person brought up Dresden and it was decided that bombing civilian areas was therefore okay. So no, it's not a war crime. Similarly Hiroshima wasn't a war crime because we won, so we got to decide the rules.

Hope that clears that one up.

May I point you to the book "Humanity" by Jonathon Glover? You may find it a bit hard going, but if you get someone to help with the big words you'll find it's a very worthwhile investigation of these sorts of ethical issues.

[whiffey]

You may point me to any book you like Waldo, you may patronise and attempt to ridicule me as well.

You have grasped a big truth, which is that the winners decide the rules. Most most fortunately for all of us who live in the West and rightfully regard 100 deaths a day as reprehensible. Quite normal though for warring Arab Islamic sects.

Left to you, that would be Britain in 50 years time.

[noxlumos]

Nothing like a right wing, fundamental Christian member of the panel to show us all the light eh gents? Not that he's biased of course...

[ummmm]

Don't you just love it when there are answers like zorro's to lighten the mood!

I don't think that we, from either view point, can possibly know whether Bush and Blair made the right decision.

[whiffey]

All views are biased, that is why they are views.

I don't know where the fundamental Christian idea came from - I'd give my soul to be one.

[Booldawg]

yes whiffey, but they are OUR war criminals. Thats the huge difference.

[Loosehead]

The war was not illegal anyway, that's just a myth propegated by the hand wringers. It was backed up by a resolution passed in 1990. This whole "illegal" fiasco came about because some thought the earlier resolution needed updating for the latest foray.

War crimes are what the winning side decide are war crimes. Can anyone point me at an example where a war crime was not committed by the losing side?

[flip-flop]

Zorro - I think they are called a nest of tables. My mum had a set in the 70s which were leather topped with a glass covering.

They were her pride and joy - until me and my little bro accidentally smashed them to pieces whilst playing rugby with the head off of our little sister's Girls World.

She went mental.

[Gromit]

The next step?

War, death and destruction for the next 50 years.
That damn oil turns up in the most awkward places, if it wasn't there, we could leave 'em to get on with it.

[Theland]

My father was a P.O.W. in Malaya, and slaved on the infamous Burma railway. He maintained that the alom bomb saved his life. The Japanese had said all prisoners would be executed if the allies landed in Japan. The bomb saved my fathers life.

[Carby]

whiffey shut up moaning you old git!!

[Theland]

When it comes to international law, Israel always seems to get a one sided condemnation. That can't be right.

[WaldoMcFroog]

"You have grasped a big truth, which is that the winners decide the rules."

No, that is not a big truth, it's transparently obvious to GCSE students. And, as is pointed out in your next sentence, it is also fundamentally flawed.

"Most most fortunately for all of us who live in the West and rightfully regard 100 deaths a day as reprehensible. Quite normal though for warring Arab Islamic sects. "

...which is why we need the international law you seem to despise so much. If you do find someone to help you read Glover's book, you will find that it is about developing a meaningful code of ethics that would support international law and not be dependant on the vaguaries of 'winner's justice'.

"Left to you, that would be Britain in 50 years time. "

Why not do a search on this site and see if you can find a single post from me that would support your view that that is what I would like to see?

Good luck.

[whiffey]

lol Carby !!

I'm not moaning, it's called biting cynicism.