War critics astonished as US hawk admits invasion was illegal

[dudeness]

Oliver Burkeman and Julian Borger in Washington
Thursday November 20, 2003
The Guardian

International lawyers and anti-war campaigners reacted with astonishment yesterday after the influential Pentagon hawk Richard Perle conceded that the invasion of Iraq had been illegal.
In a startling break with the official White House and Downing Street lines, Mr Perle told an audience in London: "I think in this case international law stood in the way of doing the right thing."

President George Bush has consistently argued that the war was legal either because of existing UN security council resolutions on Iraq - also the British government's publicly stated view - or as an act of self-defence permitted by international law.


snip..http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1089158,00.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I sent the article to

Congress as well

I sugest everybody does.

[UrbScotty]

2. Richard Perle?! NO KIDDING!

:wow:

[fallow]

3. he was referring to taking out Saddam, not the war

Keep reading the article. I dont think anyone will give this a serious "look". You know how it works.

[arcane1]

5. wasn't taking out Saddam the whole point?

"regime change" and all that?

at least, that was reason #17563A

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. regime change is definitely illegal as an objective

Blair tapdanced. He always avoided saying it was a reason for invading. He said it would be a wonderful side effect, but that wasn't the justification: it had to be due to breaking the UN resolutions on WMD and long range missiles. Given the false evidence submitted before resolution 1441, there is a real chance that the Blair government ought to be giving itself up to the International Criminal Court.

[BlackFrancis]

8. I read the whole article..

There isn't a word in it about Saddam. This is Richard Perle, he hates international law, he doesn't care that it was illegal.

[MoonRiver]

4. Just another rendition of "my way or the highway".

Let me count the ways Bush*co has sung that tune. But the Bushies keep getting away with assaulting not only our constitution and citizens' rights, but international law and our relations with the rest of the world. This country is in such a dire state, thanks to these criminals, it is breathtaking.

[dudeness]

6. well said, saywhat

that succinctly sums up the feelings of a lot of people worldwide..