Biden on Putin: 'I think he is a war criminal'

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Source: CNN

President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "war criminal" on Wednesday as Russia intensifies its attack on Ukraine.

"I think he is a war criminal," Biden said to reporters after remarks at the White House.

Biden's designation reflects a shift from the administration's previous stance. Officials, including Biden, had previously stopped short of saying war crimes were being committed in Ukraine, citing ongoing investigations into whether that term could be used.

But officials have been clear they believe atrocities are underway and that the intentional targeting of civilians would constitute war crimes.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/16/politics/biden-calls-putin-a-war-criminal/index.html?utm_term=link&utm_content=2022-03-16T19%3A28%3A22&utm_source=twCNNp&utm_medium=social

[ColinC]

1. This is a BFD.

Very strong statement

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. This is indeed a BFD

This is a big deal. I understand that people were hoping that not calling Putin out would facilitate negotiations. It appears clear that Putin is not negotiating in good faith and so Biden is free to call Putin out as a war criminal

[ColinC]

3. Yeah it also emboldens Ukrainians, and puts more pressure on other countries to do more

in sanctions and military support.

[onetexan]

6. Yup, MoJoe went there

[LetMyPeopleVote]

7. This is a big deal

Link to tweet

[Magoo48]

12. I agree with our President. Right on the button.

That said, American Presidents need to be very careful when naming war criminals in light of civilians killed by US drones. This as recently as a drone strike which killed a family of nine in their home just after the Afghanistan evacuation bombing.

War in and of itself is a crime against humanity. Once war begins, imo, talk of war crimes is like turning mad dogs loose on a crowd and then putting down the ones who bit women and children.

At this point Putin is a mad dog motivated by blood lust. Of course, he’s a war criminal.

How many civilians must one kill to be a war criminal. 1….1 million? Or, does it have to do with intent. If you kill civilians but it wasn’t your intent; is that, then ok?

https://www.democracynow.org/2015/10/16/precisely_wrong_faulty_intelligence_drives_civilian

[Control-Z]

4. I'm glad he said it! eom

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. Biden: I think he is a war criminal

Link to tweet

[AZLD4Candidate]

8. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, it's a duck

[Jetheels]

9. War Criminal is his job title,

since bombing apartment buildings in his own country to have an excuse to begin the war on Crimea.

[ffr]

10. K&R

The dynamic lies coming from the Kremlin about what they are doing in Ukraine changes by the day. We don't need to listen to lies. We can see the atrocities.

[Cha]

11. We Know Putin is a GD WAR

Criminal:

[TomWilm]

13. Traditionally (pre-Trump era) most state leaders acted as state leaders ...

... since such unfounded remarks makes it impossible to make a necessary deal later. So, "citing ongoing investigations into whether that term could be used" would have been the right answer to give again. Also in this case. There is always a day after, and unless you plan to kill the enemy leader, he will be the one who is needed for the upcoming peace deal!

Only place today for judging war criminals is The International Criminal Court at the Hague, which the United States has decided not to support. On top of this a law are still in effect and gives "authority to free members of the Armed Forces of the United States detained or imprisoned by or on behalf of the International Criminal Court".

That the United States themselves is not part of a juridical system for war crimes should give Biden even more reason to step lightly with such judgements.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

14. 'If that's not a war crime, what is?' Jen Psaki explains exactly why Biden upped his rhetoric agains

Link to tweet

When asked by a reporter if she thought that Biden was "getting ahead" of the international investigation into Putin's potential war criminality, Psaki said it was hard to look at the evidence that the world has already seen and conclude otherwise.

"What we're seeing, whether it was the destruction of a theater, where the words 'CHILDREN' or 'KIDS' was written in Russian outside the theatre... or whether it is the targeting of civilians, of hospitals, of maternity wards, if that's not considered a war crime by human beings, what is?" she said.

Link to tweet