So who were the three ex-Presidents to endorse full investigations and prosecution for War Crimes?
#1. Ex-President George W. Bush!
According to Keith Olbermann's report tonight, ex-President George W Bush firmly believes that all war crimes should be investigated and fully prosecuted under the full power of the law.
Of course, when he said this in 2003, he was talking about Iraqi war criminals. The irony then is still as potent it is today.
"War criminals will be hunted relentlessly and judged severely," President Bush told a group of war veterans at the White House.
~snip~
"Prisoners of war have been brutalized . . . " Bush said.
"Given the nature of this regime, we expect such war crimes. But we will not excuse them."
CNN.com April 1, 2003
some editing done by the diarist
Given the brutal nature of the Bush Regime, we not only should have expected these crimes, we should have been prepared for this kind of bullshit from day one. Bush will not excuse them. We The People will not excuse them either.
I find it funny that Bush would be so vocally against War Criminals while he was planning to commit war crimes of his own. Did he think we would forget or did he think the CIA would destroy the evidence of all of his interviews where he cheerleaded for how important it was to actually live out his "24" fantasies in real life?
Dumbest. President. Ever.
More self - incrimination by village idiot George W. Bush.
"In a democracy as well, those mistakes will be investigated, and people will be brought to justice. "
~snip~
"There will be investigations. People will be brought to justice."
- Ex President and War Criminal George W. Bush
I would assume that Bush meant everybody, and not just the low level soldiers who were carrying out orders.
Let's be honest, lying about why a country should go to war should be considered a war crime all by itself. I get the feeling that, when all is said and done, we will have to invent new kinds of war crimes just to fit the bill for what these people did.
#2 Ex-President Ronald Reagan
From his signing statement ratifying the UN Convention on Torture from 1984:
andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com
The United States participated actively and effectively in the negotiation of the Convention . It marks a significant step in the development during this century of international measures against torture and other inhuman treatment or punishment. Ratification of the Convention by the United States will clearly express United States opposition to torture, an abhorrent practice unfortunately still prevalent in the world today.
The core provisions of the Convention establish a regime for international cooperation in the criminal prosecution of torturers relying on so-called "universal jurisdiction." Each State Party is required either to prosecute torturers who are found in its territory or to extradite them to other countries for prosecution.
findarticles.com
Gipper, say it ain't so! How could you betray your fellow Republicans 19 years before they betrayed you?
Talk about your pre-emptive strikes!
Finally, the last nail in the coffin for pompous war crime apologists and those who would claim that making torture methods public harms American interests, I give you the anti-torture testimony of our Greatest Founding Father.
#3 Ex-President and American Hero General George Washington
"Should any American soldier be so base and infamous as to injure any [prisoner]. . . I do most earnestly enjoin you to bring him to such severe and exemplary punishment as the enormity of the crime may require. Should it extend to death itself, it will not be disproportional to its guilt at such a time and in such a cause... for by such conduct they bring shame, disgrace and ruin to themselves and their country."
- George Washington, charge to the Northern Expeditionary Force, Sept. 14, 1775
Hat tip to Don Enrique and indycam, who both posted the same quote in the rec listed diary I posted last night. You know what they say about brilliant minds.
Other Ex-Presidents who were against torture include such greats as Abraham Lincoln, FDR and many others, including, ironically, one not so great George W. Bush.
Now, about that matter of investigating and prosecuting . . .