May 29, 2008

Citizen Attempts to Arrest John Bolton

George Monbiot has indeed set a precedent which hopefully will gain momentum:
Monbiot fails to 'arrest' Bolton
Campaigner George Monbiot said he would continue his attempt to serve arrest paper on politicians involved in the decision to go to war in Iraq.
He was unable to make a citizen's arrest of former American Ambassador to the UN John Bolton at the Hay Festival.
Mr Monbiot was dragged away by security officers as he tried to approach Mr Bolton, who was at the festival to talk on international relations.
[...] Mr Monbiot, who now lives in Machynlleth in Powys, is a leading environmental and anti-war campaigner and journalist.
He said: "I'm aware that I've made what I believe is the first attempt ever to arrest one of the perpetrators of the Iraq War, and I believe that is a precedent and I would like to see that precedent followed up."
[...] In an earlier question and answer session at the event, Mr Monbiot asked Mr Bolton what distinguished him from a Nazi war criminal.
Mr Bolton replied that in exchange for a ceasefire on the Gulf War, Iraq had been required to do a variety of things including a declaration of weapons of mass destruction and the elimination of those weapons.
"By consistently refusing to abide by Resolution 687, Iraq demonstrated it was time and time again not in compliance with the ceasefire resolution," said Mr Bolton.
[BBC doesn’t bother to question Mr. Bolton’s repetition of Bush’s assertion that Iraq was not “in compliance” with Res. 687 because that would bring into question all the lies BBC and CBS and the rest perpetrated to justify sending citizens to kill other citizens. Bolton also rather conspicuously ignores the fact that Res. 687 did not advocate a military invasion of Iraq due to alleged non-compliance. And the “reporters” report on…]
[...] "That's one legal justification, the second is the right of self defence. There are others too."
He added: "You're wrong as a matter of law and you're wrong as a matter of fact." [...]
My stomach is turning but you can read on…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7424785.stm

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