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Pro and con
Bush is coming to Brussels... I found a mail in my mailbox, requesting people to demonstrate in Brussels.
I am not the kind of person that goes and joins demonstrations. I never was. My appearance was only due to professional reasons -photography- and my mind always wonders how much of the demonstrators really know what they are demonstrating for.
On the other hand, I am really not in favor of Bush. Can't find any good reason to be.
I do understand why some countries are not supposed to make nuclear weapons. But I don't understand why America is the one that has to say everything about that.
In this recent war on terrorism, everything seems reduced into black and white and little side information is provided.
The BRussels Tribunal is consisting out of intellectuals that hold an investigation on war crimes.
We should wait and see, but I believe it is an interesting exercise for the mind.
In this tribunal, interesting people are gathered: François Houtart, Prof. Emeritus UCL, director of Centre Tricontinental; Pierre Klein, prof. International Law at ULB; Ludo Abicht, Prof. Emeritus UA, author, Samir Amin, author and director of "Forum du Tiers Monde"; Denis Halliday, Former UN assistant secretary general to Iraq;Sabah Al Mukhtar, president of the Arab Association of Democratic Lawyers; Nawal El Saadawi, medical doctor and novelist.
It was Russell's action against the Vietnam War, at the age of 95, that inspired the tribunal.
In 1967, appealing to the precedent of the Nuremberg Trials, Bertrand Russell organized a war crimes tribunal on the Vietnam War. Two sessions were held, the first in Stockholm, Sweden, and second in Roskilde, Denmark.
Because of his great age, Russell was unable to attend; so the tribunal was presided over by Jean-Paul Sartre.
The goal of Russell's tribunal was, in his words, to conduct "a solemn and historic investigation, uncompelled by reasons of state or other such obligations," in order to answer the question: "Why is this war being fought in Vietnam?"
Russell's conception was that the tribunal should be composed of "men who respect the truth and whose life's work bears witness to that respect." His hope was that "this Tribunal [may] prevent the crime of silence."
"Our armies do not come into your cities and lands as conquerors or enemies, but as liberators. Your wealth has been stripped of you by unjust men ... The government of Iraq , and the future of your country, will soon belong to you. ... We will end a brutal regime ... so that Iraqis can live in security.”
This was not said by Bush, as many might think, but by General F. S. Maude, commander of the British forces, to the people of Mesopotamia , in 1917.
Makes me think we know so little about the history of Iraq.
Posted on February 6, 2005
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