"I regard our participation in the military action in Iraq in March 2003 as legal but of questionable legitimacy in that it did not have the democratically observable backing of the great majority of member states, or even perhaps of the majority of people inside the UK," he said. Sir Jeremy said he warned the Foreign Office that he was prepared to resign as ambassador to the UN in New York unless there was at least one new Security Council resolution justifying military action. He said that he did not believe that Britain and the United States could simply say that Iraq was in breach of old resolutions dating back to the 1991 Gulf War requiring Saddam Hussein to give up his weapons of mass destruction. "I regarded it as necessary politically and legally to have a new resolution - or at least one new resolution. There had to be a new declaration by the Security Council that Iraq was in material breach," he said. "Because there were different views in Washington as to what they were trying to do with this draft resolution, I wanted to make it clear that if this was just a Potemkin (artificial) exercise in going to the United Nations, I didn't want to be a part of it. "Therefore, I said I might not be able to continue as ambassador in New York if there was no further updated basis for Iraq as being in material breach."
"I regard our participation in the military action in Iraq in March 2003 as legal but of questionable legitimacy in that it did not have the democratically observable backing of the great majority of member states, or even perhaps of the majority of people inside the UK," he said.
Sir Jeremy said he warned the Foreign Office that he was prepared to resign as ambassador to the UN in New York unless there was at least one new Security Council resolution justifying military action.
He said that he did not believe that Britain and the United States could simply say that Iraq was in breach of old resolutions dating back to the 1991 Gulf War requiring Saddam Hussein to give up his weapons of mass destruction.
"I regarded it as necessary politically and legally to have a new resolution - or at least one new resolution. There had to be a new declaration by the Security Council that Iraq was in material breach," he said.
"Because there were different views in Washington as to what they were trying to do with this draft resolution, I wanted to make it clear that if this was just a Potemkin (artificial) exercise in going to the United Nations, I didn't want to be a part of it.
"Therefore, I said I might not be able to continue as ambassador in New York if there was no further updated basis for Iraq as being in material breach."
Iraq invasion was of questionable legitimacy, ...
We're the US of A, defender of the free world, mom, apple pie, everything wonderful. We SINGLE - HANDEDLY won WWII at great personal sacrifice. Ask Dick Cheney. ALL US invasions are legitimate because we say they are. Wait till Palin's in the White House if you want to see invasions. In the end, might makes right. Nothing has changed since the caveman.
REUTERS - U.N. nuclear watchdog governors voted overwhelmingly on Friday to censure Iran for building a uranium enrichment plant in secret. The resolution, passed by a 25-3 margin with six abstentions, was the first by the 35-nation governing board in almost four years, and a sign of growing alarm over Tehran's failure to dispel fears it seeks to build a nuclear bomb. With rare Russian and Chinese backing, the vote sent a message of increasing international resolve to challenge Iran over its disputed nuclear ambitions. But it was unclear whether the measure, sponsored by six world powers, would translate to crucial Russian-Chinese support for painful sanctions that Western leaders will push for early next year if Iran does not embark on steps to defuse mistrust.
REUTERS - U.N. nuclear watchdog governors voted overwhelmingly on Friday to censure Iran for building a uranium enrichment plant in secret.
The resolution, passed by a 25-3 margin with six abstentions, was the first by the 35-nation governing board in almost four years, and a sign of growing alarm over Tehran's failure to dispel fears it seeks to build a nuclear bomb.
With rare Russian and Chinese backing, the vote sent a message of increasing international resolve to challenge Iran over its disputed nuclear ambitions.
But it was unclear whether the measure, sponsored by six world powers, would translate to crucial Russian-Chinese support for painful sanctions that Western leaders will push for early next year if Iran does not embark on steps to defuse mistrust.
FRANCE 24's correspondent in Jerusalem, Annette Young, says that US pressure is responsible for Israel's proposal, recalling that Netanyahu had earlier tried to get some concessions from other Arab countries before committing to any partial freeze on settlement activity. "This unconditional offer is a reflection of the sort of pressure Netanyahu is being under from Washington", said Young....While Netanyahu has presented the offer as proof of Israel's genuine commitment to move peace efforts forward, however, Palestinians see it as a ploy by the Israelis for turning Washington's attention back on them for their position.
FRANCE 24's correspondent in Jerusalem, Annette Young, says that US pressure is responsible for Israel's proposal, recalling that Netanyahu had earlier tried to get some concessions from other Arab countries before committing to any partial freeze on settlement activity.
"This unconditional offer is a reflection of the sort of pressure Netanyahu is being under from Washington", said Young.
...While Netanyahu has presented the offer as proof of Israel's genuine commitment to move peace efforts forward, however, Palestinians see it as a ploy by the Israelis for turning Washington's attention back on them for their position.
AFP - Former Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch asked Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes court Friday to acquit and release him, in a surprise development on the final day of arguments in his nine-month trial. The 67-year-old had previously said that he admitted responsibility for overseeing the murders of around 15,000 men, women and children at the notorious S-21 or Tuol Sleng prison and begged for forgiveness. ...Following a query by judges, Duch's Cambodian lawyer, Kar Savuth, then confirmed that Duch was asking to be acquitted on the grounds that he was not a senior member of the Khmer Rouge hierarchy.
The 67-year-old had previously said that he admitted responsibility for overseeing the murders of around 15,000 men, women and children at the notorious S-21 or Tuol Sleng prison and begged for forgiveness.
...Following a query by judges, Duch's Cambodian lawyer, Kar Savuth, then confirmed that Duch was asking to be acquitted on the grounds that he was not a senior member of the Khmer Rouge hierarchy.
AFP - A Philippine politician was charged with mass murder on Friday after authorities accused him of ordering soldiers, police and other gunmen to kill at least 57 defenceless people in an organised slaughter. Andal Ampatuan Jnr, a mayor in the lawless southern Philippines who until this week was an ally of President Gloria Arroyo, was charged with seven counts of multiple murder, the government said. "He was the one who gave the instructions. He was among those... who killed the victims," Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera told reporters as she outlined the case against Ampatuan Jnr.
Andal Ampatuan Jnr, a mayor in the lawless southern Philippines who until this week was an ally of President Gloria Arroyo, was charged with seven counts of multiple murder, the government said.
"He was the one who gave the instructions. He was among those... who killed the victims," Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera told reporters as she outlined the case against Ampatuan Jnr.
The Supreme Court of Honduras ruled on Wednesday that ousted President Manuel Zelaya cannot be returned to office, the latest in a series of rulings upholding his overthrow. The court did not release the full text of its ruling, which is not binding, as Congress is set to vote Dec. 2 on whether Zelaya can be reinstated.
The Supreme Court of Honduras ruled on Wednesday that ousted President Manuel Zelaya cannot be returned to office, the latest in a series of rulings upholding his overthrow.
The court did not release the full text of its ruling, which is not binding, as Congress is set to vote Dec. 2 on whether Zelaya can be reinstated.
Reporting from Mexico City and San Salvador - The de facto rulers of Honduras will observe more than elections Sunday: They staged the first military-backed coup in Central America in 16 years -- and got away with it. Months of international efforts failed to reinstate President Manuel Zelaya, ousted June 28 and deported to Costa Rica. Instead, the most powerful outside mediator, the United States, agreed to recognize the outcome of Sunday's vote for a new president. Several other countries will not, saying that a "free and fair" vote cannot be held under the watch of a de facto government. Does an election that is not recognized count? Many in Honduras and elsewhere hope the choosing of a new leader will allow the slate to be cleaned and Honduras to emerge from the diplomatic and political isolation that followed Zelaya's removal. But Zelaya's backers and others say that, far from a solution, the election will only further deepen the impoverished nation's stark divisions, as well as set a bad precedent by allowing a coup to stand. Zelaya, who sneaked back into the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, on Sept. 21 and has been sheltered in the Brazilian Embassy since, on Friday called on supporters to boycott the "spurious electoral process." Major international election-monitoring groups, such as the Organization of American States and the Carter Center, refused to send observers. Several human rights organizations Friday denounced a "climate of terror" after weeks in which de facto authorities have cracked down on opposition media and arrested scores of opponents. A handful of low-charge explosives have detonated in recent days at the Supreme Court and pro-coup businesses.Reporting from Mexico City and San Salvador - The de facto rulers of Honduras will observe more than elections Sunday: They staged the first military-backed coup in Central America in 16 years -- and got away with it.
Months of international efforts failed to reinstate President Manuel Zelaya, ousted June 28 and deported to Costa Rica. Instead, the most powerful outside mediator, the United States, agreed to recognize the outcome of Sunday's vote for a new president. Several other countries will not, saying that a "free and fair" vote cannot be held under the watch of a de facto government.
Does an election that is not recognized count? Many in Honduras and elsewhere hope the choosing of a new leader will allow the slate to be cleaned and Honduras to emerge from the diplomatic and political isolation that followed Zelaya's removal. But Zelaya's backers and others say that, far from a solution, the election will only further deepen the impoverished nation's stark divisions, as well as set a bad precedent by allowing a coup to stand.
Zelaya, who sneaked back into the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, on Sept. 21 and has been sheltered in the Brazilian Embassy since, on Friday called on supporters to boycott the "spurious electoral process." Major international election-monitoring groups, such as the Organization of American States and the Carter Center, refused to send observers.
Several human rights organizations Friday denounced a "climate of terror" after weeks in which de facto authorities have cracked down on opposition media and arrested scores of opponents. A handful of low-charge explosives have detonated in recent days at the Supreme Court and pro-coup businesses.Reporting from Mexico City and San Salvador - The de facto rulers of Honduras will observe more than elections Sunday: They staged the first military-backed coup in Central America in 16 years -- and got away with it.
A Tunisian court has handed down a six-month jail term to dissident reporter Taoufik Ben Brik for assaulting a woman, prompting outrage among human rights and press freedom groups who say the charges were fabricated.
Tunisia is one of the North African countries with the highest standard of living and tries to project a foreign investment friendly image; many French companies have opened shop there.
However its regime is notoriously repressive, severely curtailing freedom of speech and always harassing dissident voices, such as Ben Brik. Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.
There are few things that unite Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron, but one of them is Rwanda. All three are passionate advocates for Paul Kagame, who forced out the genocidal regime 15 years ago and has ruled the country ever since. Blair is an adviser to the government, praising its leadership on a visit this month. Cameron invited Kagame to speak at his party conference. And Brown is leading calls for Rwanda to join the Commonwealth, which is likely to be confirmed this weekend....But should we be rushing to canonise Kagame and his cronies in Kigali? For there is another side to his nation's success that casts a darker shadow, one emerging in a series of blood-stained books, investigations and reports. These paint a picture of a repressive regime that has played on the conscience of the world to silence dissent, crush critics and devastate its neighbour in a conflict that has left more people dead than any war since the Second World War.
There are few things that unite Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron, but one of them is Rwanda. All three are passionate advocates for Paul Kagame, who forced out the genocidal regime 15 years ago and has ruled the country ever since.
Blair is an adviser to the government, praising its leadership on a visit this month. Cameron invited Kagame to speak at his party conference. And Brown is leading calls for Rwanda to join the Commonwealth, which is likely to be confirmed this weekend.
...But should we be rushing to canonise Kagame and his cronies in Kigali? For there is another side to his nation's success that casts a darker shadow, one emerging in a series of blood-stained books, investigations and reports. These paint a picture of a repressive regime that has played on the conscience of the world to silence dissent, crush critics and devastate its neighbour in a conflict that has left more people dead than any war since the Second World War.
"We have to check if crimes against humanity, war crimes or genocide have been committed in Afghanistan," Mr. Ocampo told me. "There are serious allegations against the Taliban and al Qaeda and serious allegations about warlords, even against some who are connected with members of the government." Taking up his inquiry of Allied soldiers, he added, "there are different reports about problems with bombings and there are also allegations about torture." [...] Mr. Ocampo is famous in his home country for prosecuting military juntas as well as starring in a reality program where he adjudicated private disputes. And in his first six years at the ICC, he pursued real evildoers. He indicted Ugandan rebel Joseph Kony, militia leaders from the Congo and Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, responsible for the genocide in Darfur. Yet collecting information about possible war crimes by American soldiers smacks of just the sort of politicized prosecution critics of the ICC had always warned about.
[...]
Mr. Ocampo is famous in his home country for prosecuting military juntas as well as starring in a reality program where he adjudicated private disputes. And in his first six years at the ICC, he pursued real evildoers. He indicted Ugandan rebel Joseph Kony, militia leaders from the Congo and Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, responsible for the genocide in Darfur. Yet collecting information about possible war crimes by American soldiers smacks of just the sort of politicized prosecution critics of the ICC had always warned about.
