Malaysian mock tribunal finds Bush, Blair guilty of 'crimes against peace'

[News_Editor]

Malaysian mock tribunal finds Bush, Blair guilty of 'crimes against peace'

2011-11-24 01:22:18 GMT+7 (ICT)

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (BNO NEWS) -- A Malaysian mock tribunal has convicted former U.S. President George W. Bush and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair of 'crimes against peace' over the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The symbolic trial began on Saturday at the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal (KLWCC) in the Malaysian capital. It is part of the Perdana Global Peace Foundation, an initiative by former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad who is an outspoken critic of the Iraq war.

The tribunal, which has no enforcement powers but has called itself an 'alternative' to the UN-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Netherlands, charged Bush and Blair with 'crimes against peace' for planning, preparing and carrying out the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

"The Particulars of the Charge state, inter alia, that on 19 March 2003, the two accused launched a war against Iraq without the sanction of the United Nations and without just cause whatsoever," the tribunal stated in its ruling. A seven-member panel chaired by former Malaysian Federal Court judge Abdul Kadir Sulaiman presided over the trial, although two judges later recused themselves.

U.S. and British troops, along with troops from several other countries, invaded Iraq in March 2003 and toppled the regime of dictator Saddam Hussein within a month. Coalition leaders said the reasons for the invasion were to disarm Iraq of alleged weapons of mass destruction, end Saddam Hussein's alleged support for terrorism and to 'free' the Iraqi people.

The tribunal said it notified both Bush and Blair of the charges but received no response and therefore appointed an amicus curiae to represent the two former leaders. The amicus curiae entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of Bush and Blair.

"The Prosecution has given us convincing evidence that the drums of war were being beaten long before the invasion. Facts were fixed to support the policy," the tribunal said in its ruling, referring to intelligence reports that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction even though they were never found. "Further, many statements in the books authored by the two accused implicate them in the diabolical plan. The memoirs of the two accused do not provide justification for the war of aggression against Iraq."

In its ruling, the judges called the Iraq invasion an 'international crime.' "It cannot be justified under any reasonable interpretation of international law. It violates the outer limits of laws regulating the use of force. It amounts to mass murder. Unlawful use of force in Iraq threatens to return us to a world in which the law of the jungle prevails over the rule of law, with potentially disastrous consequences for the human rights not only of the Iraqis but of people throughout the region and the world."

The judges added: "The two accused took the law into their own hands. They acted with deceit and with falsehood. They acted in flagrant violation of international law of war and peace. We therefore find the charge against the two accused is proved beyond reasonable doubt. The two accused are, therefore, found guilty as charged and the two accused are accordingly convicted on the charge."

The KLWCC said it will pass its findings to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and to all countries which have acceded to the Rome Statute. The tribunal also plans to hold trials for former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-11-24

[Jingthing]

May I suggest to the Malaysian court an immediate prosecution of Captain Kangaroo.

BTW, while I am no fan of Bush/Blair, virulent anti-semite Mahathir Mohamad has even less credibility on the global stage.

Edited November 23, 2011 by Jingthing

[Pedzie]

May I suggest to the Malaysian court an immediate prosecution of Captain Kangaroo.

BTW, while I am no fan of Bush/Blair, virulent anti-semite Mahathir Mohamad has even less credibility on the global stage.

Bush/Blair should be tried for crimes against humanity, not crimes against peace

[MrMuddle]

May I suggest to the Malaysian court an immediate prosecution of Captain Kangaroo.

BTW, while I am no fan of Bush/Blair, virulent anti-semite Mahathir Mohamad has even less credibility on the global stage.

What has anti-semitism got to do with the story ? By introducing this subject, it kills the 'debate', as anyone who is in favour of this tribunal is judged, by your statement, to be anti-semetic. Nowhere in the OP is there a mention of Israel, it's people, or religion. As for Mr Mahathir Mohamads' lack of credibility, have you proof of this ? Or is it just anti-muslim bias on your part?

The sad truth is, that instead of a mock trial of Bush & Blair being held in Malaysia, it should have been held for real by the International Criminal Court, and the pair of them, and many of their political associates, should have been charged for real with Crimes Against Humanity. I sincerely hope that this "mock" trial in Malaysia will lead to a real prosecution, in the future.They both deserve to be tried, on behalf of the thousands who have died, been injured or who have suffered because of their evil deeds.

[mallyrd]

May I suggest to the Malaysian court an immediate prosecution of Captain Kangaroo.

BTW, while I am no fan of Bush/Blair, virulent anti-semite Mahathir Mohamad has even less credibility on the global stage.

What has anti-semitism got to do with the story ? By introducing this subject, it kills the 'debate', as anyone who is in favour of this tribunal is judged, by your statement, to be anti-semetic. Nowhere in the OP is there a mention of Israel, it's people, or religion. As for Mr Mahathir Mohamads' lack of credibility, have you proof of this ? Or is it just anti-muslim bias on your part?

The sad truth is, that instead of a mock trial of Bush & Blair being held in Malaysia, it should have been held for real by the International Criminal Court, and the pair of them, and many of their political associates, should have been charged for real with Crimes Against Humanity. I sincerely hope that this "mock" trial in Malaysia will lead to a real prosecution, in the future.They both deserve to be tried, on behalf of the thousands who have died, been injured or who have suffered because of their evil deeds.

Well said.

[koheesti]

May I suggest to the Malaysian court an immediate prosecution of Captain Kangaroo.

BTW, while I am no fan of Bush/Blair, virulent anti-semite Mahathir Mohamad has even less credibility on the global stage.

Bush/Blair should be tried for crimes against humanity, not crimes against peace

Someone can pursue that after they receive their medals.

[jackr]

What a waste of space. As if anything Malaysia has even done/will ever do will have any affect/benefit for the outside world. If they want to do something useful, how about outlawing hacking & spitting on the streets and look after their women!

[Ulysses G.]

They seem to have forgotten to have a kangaroo court to convict Bin Ladin, Saddham Hussiein or Gaddafi for slaughtering thousands of people. It must have slipped their minds.

[ludditeman]

They seem to have forgotten to have a kangaroo court to convict Bin Ladin, Saddham Hussiein or Gaddafi for slaughtering thousands of people. It must have slipped their minds.

Dead criminals don't get taken to court.

I agree with the verdict on Bush and Blair.

[carbine1125]

May I suggest to the Malaysian court an immediate prosecution of Captain Kangaroo.

BTW, while I am no fan of Bush/Blair, virulent anti-semite Mahathir Mohamad has even less credibility on the global stage.

What has anti-semitism got to do with the story ? By introducing this subject, it kills the 'debate', as anyone who is in favour of this tribunal is judged, by your statement, to be anti-semetic. Nowhere in the OP is there a mention of Israel, it's people, or religion. As for Mr Mahathir Mohamads' lack of credibility, have you proof of this ? Or is it just anti-muslim bias on your part?

The sad truth is, that instead of a mock trial of Bush & Blair being held in Malaysia, it should have been held for real by the International Criminal Court, and the pair of them, and many of their political associates, should have been charged for real with Crimes Against Humanity. I sincerely hope that this "mock" trial in Malaysia will lead to a real prosecution, in the future.They both deserve to be tried, on behalf of the thousands who have died, been injured or who have suffered because of their evil deeds.

Well said and needs to to done sooner rather than later!

[Payboy]

Malaysian mock tribunal finds Bush, Blair guilty of 'crimes against peace'

It would be news if they were found guilty of sodomy.

[Scott]

Personally, I find the whole thing to be somewhat of a sham. But that said, I do hope that at some point in time we reach the point where leaders and countries are held responsible for their behavior. Especially, if that behavior is based on information which has been manipulated and colored in such a manner as to justify the outcome.

[Ulysses G.]

They seem to have forgotten to have a kangaroo court to convict Bin Ladin, Saddham Hussiein or Gaddafi for slaughtering thousands of people. It must have slipped their minds.

Dead criminals don't get taken to court.

Malaysia did not have a "trial" for them when they were alive.

[chuckd]

A former US President is hardly worried about a biased court in Malaysia bringing charges. He is and was subject to the US Constitution only in the discharge of his duties.

This is all just so much noise and blathering about nothing that has already gained more publicity than it deserves.

[Jingthing]

What has anti-semitism got to do with the story ? By introducing this subject, it kills the 'debate', as anyone who is in favour of this tribunal is judged, by your statement, to be anti-semetic. Nowhere in the OP is there a mention of Israel, it's people, or religion. As for Mr Mahathir Mohamads' lack of credibility, have you proof of this ? Or is it just anti-muslim bias on your part?

Because the despicable Mahathir Mohamad is in charge of this farce court.

Because his open, shameless anti-semitism puts him into the class of leaders like Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, although the difference is Ahmadinejad is a holocaust denier, while Mahathir Mohamad has openly voiced sadness that Hitler's final genocide solution didn't fully succeed.

Because not all readers remember or know about Mahathir Mohamad's shameful positions as a promoter of racist hate.

His lack of international credibility is a given based on knowing about his open anti-semitism. From Malaysia, a country barring entry to all Israeli nationals.

No, it is has nothing to do with being anti-Muslim on my part. Where did that come from? Do you think people who oppose anti-semitism are anti-Muslim by definition? Bizarre.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/18/opinion/18SAT2.html

Islamic Anti-Semitism

It is hard to know what is more alarming -- a toxic statement of hatred of Jews by the Malaysian prime minister at an Islamic summit meeting this week or the unanimous applause it engendered from the kings, presidents and emirs in the audience. The words uttered by the prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, in a speech to the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference on Thursday were sadly familiar: Jews, he asserted, may be few in number, but they seek to run the world.

Does Mahathir Mohamad's involvement in this farce court greatly devalue anything the court does in the eyes of the greater world? Of course it does! That cannot be denied.

Edited November 24, 2011 by Jingthing

[Pakboong]

They seem to have forgotten to have a kangaroo court to convict Bin Ladin, Saddham Hussiein or Gaddafi for slaughtering thousands of people. It must have slipped their minds.

They all 3 seem to have been sentenced to death without a trial.

[chuckd]

They seem to have forgotten to have a kangaroo court to convict Bin Ladin, Saddham Hussiein or Gaddafi for slaughtering thousands of people. It must have slipped their minds.

They all 3 seem to have been sentenced to death without a trial.

...and the world is better off with their deaths.

[Naam]

for the record: since eight years Mahathir Mohamad is not Prime Minister of Malaysia anymore.

Mahathir Mohamad has openly voiced sadness that Hitler's final genocide solution didn't fully succeed.

Because not all readers remember or know about Mahathir Mohamad's shameful positions as a promoter of racist hate.

His lack of international credibility is a given based on knowing about his open anti-semitism. From Malaysia, a country barring entry to all Israeli nationals.

"readers" might be interested to read the full text of Mahathir's speech october 2003 and arrive at their own individual conclusions.

Speech by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia

to the Tenth Islamic Summit Conference

Putrajaya, Malaysia, October 16, 2003

http://www.adl.org/anti_semitism/malaysian.asp

[Jingthing]

I never said or implied he was currently PM. Also that one speech is but one instance of that man's long record of virulent anti-semitism.

[johna]

What has anti-semitism got to do with the story ? By introducing this subject, it kills the 'debate', as anyone who is in favour of this tribunal is judged, by your statement, to be anti-semetic. Nowhere in the OP is there a mention of Israel, it's people, or religion. As for Mr Mahathir Mohamads' lack of credibility, have you proof of this ? Or is it just anti-muslim bias on your part?

Because the despicable Mahathir Mohamad is in charge of this farce court.

Because his open, shameless anti-semitism puts him into the class of leaders like Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, although the difference is Ahmadinejad is a holocaust denier, while Mahathir Mohamad has openly voiced sadness that Hitler's final genocide solution didn't fully succeed.

Because not all readers remember or know about Mahathir Mohamad's shameful positions as a promoter of racist hate.

His lack of international credibility is a given based on knowing about his open anti-semitism. From Malaysia, a country barring entry to all Israeli nationals.

No, it is has nothing to do with being anti-Muslim on my part. Where did that come from? Do you think people who oppose anti-semitism are anti-Muslim by definition? Bizarre.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/18/opinion/18SAT2.html

Islamic Anti-Semitism

It is hard to know what is more alarming -- a toxic statement of hatred of Jews by the Malaysian prime minister at an Islamic summit meeting this week or the unanimous applause it engendered from the kings, presidents and emirs in the audience. The words uttered by the prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, in a speech to the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference on Thursday were sadly familiar: Jews, he asserted, may be few in number, but they seek to run the world.

Does Mahathir Mohamad's involvement in this farce court greatly devalue anything the court does in the eyes of the greater world? Of course it does! That cannot be denied.

<deleted> has a mock trial of Bush/Blair got to do with Jews, get a life

[Jingthing]

<deleted> has a mock trial of Bush/Blair got to do with Jews, ...

(Personal insult not included.)

I thought I made that clear.

It is part of the Perdana Global Peace Foundation, an initiative by former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad who is an outspoken critic of the Iraq war.

Given Mahathir Mohamad's totally disgusting political views, I view anything organized by him as worthless as a similar body organized by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Kim Jong Il.

Edited November 24, 2011 by Jingthing

[MrMuddle]

for the record: since eight years Mahathir Mohamad is not Prime Minister of Malaysia anymore.

Mahathir Mohamad has openly voiced sadness that Hitler's final genocide solution didn't fully succeed.

Because not all readers remember or know about Mahathir Mohamad's shameful positions as a promoter of racist hate.

His lack of international credibility is a given based on knowing about his open anti-semitism. From Malaysia, a country barring entry to all Israeli nationals.

"readers" might be interested to read the full text of Mahathir's speech october 2003 and arrive at their own individual conclusions.

Speech by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia

to the Tenth Islamic Summit Conference

Putrajaya, Malaysia, October 16, 2003

http://www.adl.org/a...m/malaysian.asp

Having read the full speech, as opposed to the New York Times somewhat sensationalized version, I agree with Mr Mohamad. He advocates a non-violent approach to Islams problems in the world. Obviously it suits the pro-Israeli lobby to continually appear as the victims, even when the news story is not about them. To attack Mr Mohamads' credibility is also far-fetched, as he gave a speech to leaders of 57 nations, who, if the NYT is to be believed applauded warmly afterwards. How is that not credible? The newspaper also mentioned that no complaint was made by the EU, even though it was asked to condemn the speech, it did not. Mr Mohamad seems a perfectly credible person to me, the Tenth Islamic Summit Conference and the European Union. Now can we get back to the topic?

[Jingthing]

Having read the full speech, as opposed to the New York Times somewhat sensationalized version, I agree with Mr Mohamad. He advocates a non-violent approach to Islams problems in the world. Obviously it suits the pro-Israeli lobby to continually appear as the victims, even when the news story is not about them. To attack Mr Mohamads' credibility is also far-fetched, as he gave a speech to leaders of 57 nations, who, if the NYT is to be believed applauded warmly afterwards. How is that not credible? The newspaper also mentioned that no complaint was made by the EU, even though it was asked to condemn the speech, it did not. Mr Mohamad seems a perfectly credible person to me, the Tenth Islamic Summit Conference and the European Union. Now can we get back to the topic?

Are you ready to defend this quote?

Also, yes people should indeed read the entire hate tripe rant in the link and of course I disagree that the New York Times opinion piece was sensationalist. Amazing, people still defending antisemitism today.

More about that notorious 2003 speech:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/international_papers/2003/10/malaysias_casual_antisemitism.html

In January 2010, at The General Conference For The Support of Al Quds, Mahathir stated, regarding the Holocaust and Israel, that:

“The Jews had always been a problem in European countries. They had to be confined to ghettoes and periodically massacred. But still they remained, they thrived and they held whole Governments to ransom...Even after their massacre by the Nazis of Germany, [Jews] survived to continue to be a source of even greater problems for the world...The Holocaust failed as a final solution.”

wiki

or how about ...

1970: In his book The Malay Dilemma, Mahathir wrote: '"Jewish stinginess and financial wizardry gained them commercial control of Europe and provoked anti-Semitism which waxed and waned in Europe throughout the ages." He also wrote that "the Jews for example are not merely hook-nosed, but understand money instinctively." (Sydney Morning Herald, October 17, 1997)

To further make my point that the politics of hatred of Mahathir are relevant to this topic, if a peace commission organized by Israeli PM Netanyahu convicted some other world leader in a mock court, can you imagine that court not being attacked for who was behind the court? Fairness, please!

Edited November 24, 2011 by Jingthing

[Fookhaht]

They seem to have forgotten to have a kangaroo court to convict Bin Ladin, Saddham Hussiein or Gaddafi for slaughtering thousands of people. It must have slipped their minds.

They all 3 seem to have been sentenced to death without a trial.

Did you forget Saddham Hussein's trial by a court of Iraqi judges? Then sentenced to death by hanging?

Side bar: Such short suffering compared to the 5,000 annihilated and 10,000 injured by his poison gas in the Kurdish region of N. Iraq.

[Chonburiram]

1322107648[/url]' post='4868493']

1322088320[/url]' post='4867899']

What has anti-semitism got to do with the story ? By introducing this subject, it kills the 'debate', as anyone who is in favour of this tribunal is judged, by your statement, to be anti-semetic. Nowhere in the OP is there a mention of Israel, it's people, or religion. As for Mr Mahathir Mohamads' lack of credibility, have you proof of this ? Or is it just anti-muslim bias on your part?

Because the despicable Mahathir Mohamad is in charge of this farce court.

Because his open, shameless anti-semitism puts him into the class of leaders like Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, although the difference is Ahmadinejad is a holocaust denier, while Mahathir Mohamad has openly voiced sadness that Hitler's final genocide solution didn't fully succeed.

Because not all readers remember or know about Mahathir Mohamad's shameful positions as a promoter of racist hate.

His lack of international credibility is a given based on knowing about his open anti-semitism. From Malaysia, a country barring entry to all Israeli nationals.

No, it is has nothing to do with being anti-Muslim on my part. Where did that come from? Do you think people who oppose anti-semitism are anti-Muslim by definition? Bizarre.

http://www.nytimes.c...ion/18SAT2.html

Islamic Anti-Semitism

It is hard to know what is more alarming -- a toxic statement of hatred of Jews by the Malaysian prime minister at an Islamic summit meeting this week or the unanimous applause it engendered from the kings, presidents and emirs in the audience. The words uttered by the prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, in a speech to the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference on Thursday were sadly familiar: Jews, he asserted, may be few in number, but they seek to run the world.

Does Mahathir Mohamad's involvement in this farce court greatly devalue anything the court does in the eyes of the greater world? Of course it does! That cannot be denied.

Please could you explain to a forgetful reader like me which race he is promoting to hate?

[Jingthing]

Please could you explain to a forgetful reader like me which race he is promoting to hate?

Jews. Anti-semitism is racism.

I think that is a trick question though, because it's complicated. Jews are not a race, they are a people, and not all Jews are at all religious and many who are religious profess other religions than Judaism such as Buddhism, so there is more to it than just religion. If you need to know more, read some books. Too big a topic for a thread like this.

If you don't understand the difference between a race and a people, here are some other examples of peoples:

Tai people, Kurdish people, Roma people, Australian Aboriginal people, Slovak people, etc. To further complicate it, mainstream anthropologists are now rejecting the concept of race altogether in the conventional sense where we distinguish between so called races like Caucasians and Asians as different races. But even if there is no biological basis for different races (skin color etc. represents a very tiny part of the human race's genetic code), racism still exists as racism is a SOCIAL construct as opposed to a biological one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_antisemitism

Edited November 24, 2011 by Jingthing

[theblether]

Please could you explain to a forgetful reader like me which race he is promoting to hate?

Jews. Anti-semitism is racism.

I think that is a trick question though, because it's complicated. Jews are not a race, they are a people, and not all Jews are at all religious and many who are religious profess other religions than Judaism such as Buddhism, so there is more to it than just religion. If you need to know more, read some books. Too big a topic for a thread like this.

If you don't understand the difference between a race and a people, here are some other examples of peoples:

Tai people, Kurdish people, Roma people, Australian Aboriginal people, Slovak people, etc. To further complicate it, mainstream anthropologists are now rejecting the concept of race altogether in the conventional sense where we distinguish between so called races like Caucasians and Asians as different races. But even if there is no biological basis for different races (skin color etc. represents a very tiny part of the human race's genetic code), racism still exists as racism is a SOCIAL construct as opposed to a biological one.

http://en.wikipedia....al_antisemitism

+1 and a quite excellent post.

[ludditeman]

I think that is a trick question though, because it's complicated. Jews are not a race, they are a people, and not all Jews are at all religious and many who are religious profess other religions than Judaism such as Buddhism, so there is more to it than just religion. If you need to know more, read some books. Too big a topic for a thread like this.

Who cares, move on.

Edited November 25, 2011 by ludditeman

[MrMuddle]

I think that is a trick question though, because it's complicated. Jews are not a race, they are a people, and not all Jews are at all religious and many who are religious profess other religions than Judaism such as Buddhism, so there is more to it than just religion. If you need to know more, read some books. Too big a topic for a thread like this.

Who cares, move on.

Seconded. Borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring.

[Jingthing]

I think that is a trick question though, because it's complicated. Jews are not a race, they are a people, and not all Jews are at all religious and many who are religious profess other religions than Judaism such as Buddhism, so there is more to it than just religion. If you need to know more, read some books. Too big a topic for a thread like this.

Who cares, move on.

Seconded. Borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring.

I wouldn't dream of depriving the Negative Nellies another chance at the pleasure they clearly get by broadcasting their simplistic bile.

On the other hand, I sincerely think that most people in the world haven't gotten the news yet that mainstream anthropologists don't think there is a biological basis for the concept of different races within our one human race. I reckon the unapologetically racist internationally disgraced former PM of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad responsible for the political theater Kangaroo court trial is among those not yet enlightened.

BTW, if a LEGITIMATE international court wanted to judge Bush (I hold Blair less responsible as the poodle), that would be a different story.

Edited November 25, 2011 by Jingthing