Belgium scraps war crimes law
YogsVR4
07-14-2003, 01:43 PM
This is a follow up to the thread that talked about this law that Belgium had recently passed.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3061403.stm
Belgium's new government has confirmed it is repealing a controversial law which gives the courts power to try all cases of war crimes no matter where they were committed or by whom.
Guy Verhofstadt - who took office as prime minister for a second term on Saturday - said the new coalition had decided as one of its first acts to scrap the law, which has angered the United States.
Under a new bill, only war crimes cases involving Belgians, or foreigners living in Belgium, would be considered, he said.
Several world leaders - President Bush, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon - had cases filed against them under the "universal competence" law.
The action prompted the Americans to warn that they would block further funding for Nato's new headquarters in Belgium until the legal threat was withdrawn.
It is expected that the bill will be approved by parliament in the coming weeks in a move which was initiated last month, and will bring the law in line with that from other Western states.
New government
Mr Verhofstadt heads a coalition of Liberals and Socialists and was appointed head of government on Saturday by King Albert, who approved the cabinet list.
The coalition deal was struck earlier this week, nearly two months after a general election, in a final marathon round of all-night talks.
The resulting pact includes more spending on healthcare - at the Socialists' insistence - and continuing tax cuts, as demanded by the Liberals.
Mr Verhofstadt acknowledged that Belgium's budget would not balance for the fourth year in a row, blaming the European economic slowdown.
But he declared himself "very happy" with the deal.
"[The agreement] aims to develop a positive project for our country in these difficult times," Mr Verhofstadt told reporters after the 14 hours of talks.
The Liberals and Socialists were previously in a three-way coalition with Greens, who are absent from the new line-up after suffering a disastrous election performance.
The Greens lost all nine of their seats in Flanders, and seven out of 11 in Wallonia.
Mr Verhofstadt's Flemish Liberals and their French-speaking counterparts hold a total of 49 seats in the 150-member parliament. The two socialist groups have 48 members.
The far-right Vlaams Blok, which wants Flemish independence, boosted its number of seats from 15 to 18, after its share of the vote rose around four percentage points to an estimated 19% in Flanders.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3061403.stm
Belgium's new government has confirmed it is repealing a controversial law which gives the courts power to try all cases of war crimes no matter where they were committed or by whom.
Guy Verhofstadt - who took office as prime minister for a second term on Saturday - said the new coalition had decided as one of its first acts to scrap the law, which has angered the United States.
Under a new bill, only war crimes cases involving Belgians, or foreigners living in Belgium, would be considered, he said.
Several world leaders - President Bush, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon - had cases filed against them under the "universal competence" law.
The action prompted the Americans to warn that they would block further funding for Nato's new headquarters in Belgium until the legal threat was withdrawn.
It is expected that the bill will be approved by parliament in the coming weeks in a move which was initiated last month, and will bring the law in line with that from other Western states.
New government
Mr Verhofstadt heads a coalition of Liberals and Socialists and was appointed head of government on Saturday by King Albert, who approved the cabinet list.
The coalition deal was struck earlier this week, nearly two months after a general election, in a final marathon round of all-night talks.
The resulting pact includes more spending on healthcare - at the Socialists' insistence - and continuing tax cuts, as demanded by the Liberals.
Mr Verhofstadt acknowledged that Belgium's budget would not balance for the fourth year in a row, blaming the European economic slowdown.
But he declared himself "very happy" with the deal.
"[The agreement] aims to develop a positive project for our country in these difficult times," Mr Verhofstadt told reporters after the 14 hours of talks.
The Liberals and Socialists were previously in a three-way coalition with Greens, who are absent from the new line-up after suffering a disastrous election performance.
The Greens lost all nine of their seats in Flanders, and seven out of 11 in Wallonia.
Mr Verhofstadt's Flemish Liberals and their French-speaking counterparts hold a total of 49 seats in the 150-member parliament. The two socialist groups have 48 members.
The far-right Vlaams Blok, which wants Flemish independence, boosted its number of seats from 15 to 18, after its share of the vote rose around four percentage points to an estimated 19% in Flanders.
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taranaki
07-15-2003, 12:32 AM
The action prompted the Americans to warn that they would block further funding for Nato's new headquarters in Belgium until the legal threat was withdrawn.
Well done.Yet another country that has yielded to diplomatic pressure[i.e.threats] by the good old U.S. of A. Why bother making up stories about WMD'S whhen the faintest whiff of financial struggle sends your opponent scurrying for his white flag.
One less risk that the U.S. might be held to account for its actions.You must be so proud,Yogs.If Mr Bush never has to face justice,we will never know for certain whether he is an inspired and visionary leader,or a craven and blundering buffoon.No prizes for guessing where my money would be going if it ever went to trial.
Well done.Yet another country that has yielded to diplomatic pressure[i.e.threats] by the good old U.S. of A. Why bother making up stories about WMD'S whhen the faintest whiff of financial struggle sends your opponent scurrying for his white flag.
One less risk that the U.S. might be held to account for its actions.You must be so proud,Yogs.If Mr Bush never has to face justice,we will never know for certain whether he is an inspired and visionary leader,or a craven and blundering buffoon.No prizes for guessing where my money would be going if it ever went to trial.
YogsVR4
07-15-2003, 12:05 PM
I am happy to see someone realize how stupid that law was.
I don't know why you think this law is a good idea. Why not have ask your legislature to outlaw the US Republican party? Then you can take Bush to court yourself under your laws. The whole premise of the law was just fucked up. If there is wrongdoing by one of our countrymen, then our courts will handle it.
The fact it was a “war crimes” bill is what seems to get you all hung up. Somehow you are making the leap that if Belgium doesn’t prosecute – no US citizen would be held accountable (take a look at the previous thread on this topic).
Your quote about Bush being brought to justice doesn’t make any sense at all.
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I don't know why you think this law is a good idea. Why not have ask your legislature to outlaw the US Republican party? Then you can take Bush to court yourself under your laws. The whole premise of the law was just fucked up. If there is wrongdoing by one of our countrymen, then our courts will handle it.
The fact it was a “war crimes” bill is what seems to get you all hung up. Somehow you are making the leap that if Belgium doesn’t prosecute – no US citizen would be held accountable (take a look at the previous thread on this topic).
Your quote about Bush being brought to justice doesn’t make any sense at all.
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taranaki
07-15-2003, 05:37 PM
I find the whole concept that any nation involved in the invasion of other countries could effectively and dispassionately review the acceptability of its own actions to be quite ridiculous.
I'm not saying that George Bush has committed any crimes,but I'd be much happier if he wasn't doing his damnedest to avoid scrutiny.If he had nothing to hide,he'd stand proud before any court in the world and justify his actions.We need an organisation with some clout to cut through all the bullshit and bluster that has accompanied this campaign,and establish wether there were any genuine grounds for the seizure of Iraq.
I'm not saying that George Bush has committed any crimes,but I'd be much happier if he wasn't doing his damnedest to avoid scrutiny.If he had nothing to hide,he'd stand proud before any court in the world and justify his actions.We need an organisation with some clout to cut through all the bullshit and bluster that has accompanied this campaign,and establish wether there were any genuine grounds for the seizure of Iraq.
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