Lawsuit Against Rumsfeld Threatens US-German Relations

[Sirveri]

Looks like Abu Ghraib is still remembered in the world outside the US.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1427743,00.html

The Pentagon made thinly veiled threats on Monday, suggesting US-German relations could be at risk if a criminal complaint filed in German courts over Abu Ghraib proceeds.

The Pentagon expressed concern Monday over a criminal complaint filed in Germany against US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other officials over the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, warning that "frivolous lawsuits" could affect the broader US-German relationship.

The complaint was filed in Berlin on Nov. 30 by the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and Berlin's Republican Lawyers' Association on behalf of four Iraqis who were alleged to have been mistreated by US soldiers.

Besides Rumsfeld, former CIA director George Tenet, Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Steven Cambone, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, Brigadier General Janis

Karpinski and five other military officers who served in Iraq were named in the complaint, which seeks an investigation into their role in the prisoner abuses at Abu Ghraib.

[Lucky Luciano]

1. Frivolous Lawsuits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"The Pentagon expressed concern Monday over a criminal complaint filed in Germany against US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other officials over the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, warning that "frivolous lawsuits" could affect the broader US-German relationship."

Frivolous lawsuits!!!!!! Un-fucking-believable....actually it is pretty believable given the character of rumsfeld and the rest of this fraudministration.

[sweetheart]

2. count on the germans to stand up to the new nazis

Rumsfeld is a war criminal and should hang from the gallows... he's
trying to make it an issue of nations, rather than the crime.

[MsConduct]

3. I would love the see all the countries/nations of the world...

file lawsuits against all of 'them', from bush all the way down the line. Hell, we (the US) should file a lawsuit against them! I think I'm giving everyone a brand new shiny set of brass huevos for Christmas. Think that'll help?

[donheld]

4. I join you in that wish

Just give all Democrats a new set of brass Cajones

[MsConduct]

9. Agreed, LOL. n/t

[firebee]

5. Write and make an impact

This is the e-mail address for contacting Gerhard Shroeder's staff, otherwise known as the German Chancellor's staff.
[e-mail]

I think we should start an e-mail campaign praising the actions of the German government. It has been made clear that the U.S. government isn't going to prosecute any of the policy makers or high ranking officials for the war crimes and crimes against humanity witnessed at Abu Ghraib. The only justice that will come of this, is the justice of the International Court. Otherwise, it's just going to be a few low ranking soldiers taking the fall for corrupted and morally bankrupt government officials.

[Karenina]

6. Kick!

:kick:

[Kellanved]

7. Sadly there won't be any results

The only good thing is the publicity and Rummy's reaction - I wonder why they're so loud about it.

The German law allows prosecution of war criminals all over the world, however the Federal Prosecutor General has is only allowed to act in cases with a relation to Germany (although the war criminal law is younger than a Supreme Court's decision limiting the office's competence - it might need re-evaluation.).

Anyway, the office of the Federal Prosecutor General is a lifetime political appointment under the supervision of the Federal Minister for Justice.
The current Generalbundesanwalt, Nehm, will almost certainly not touch this case.

[Vidar]

8. Cheering for Germany.