14 May 2012

The Corrosive Effect of Water

A war crimes tribunal in Malaysia has judged that former American president George W. Bush, along with several of his underlings, committed various war crimes. The convictions were in absentia, for not a single defendant faced the tribunal.

The tribunal itself has no power to issue warrants for the arrest and imprisonment of those found to be guilty. It is, as the lawyers call it, a "moot court".

That sentence may not be entirely correct. The judgment of the court is a drip of water falling upon the reputations of those charged.

Those eight men may well consider surrendering their passports. There are nations, including, yes, the United States, which claim world-wide jurisdiction for war crimes and crimes against humanity. One of those nations may well bring charges should any one of those men set foot on the soil of one of those nations.

A conviction in one of those nations will not be done by a moral court, as was the case in Malaysia. A conviction in one of those nations will end with a lengthy term in a prison.

Over time, enough drips of water can wear away mountains of granite.

No comments:

Post a Comment