Home > Spanish Judge calls for architects of Iraq invasion to be tried for war crimes

Spanish Judge calls for architects of Iraq invasion to be tried for war crimes

by Open-Publishing - Thursday 29 March 2007
33 comments

Edito Wars and conflicts Justice Europe

By Vicky Short

Baltasar Garzón, the Spanish judge who sought to prosecute Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet, has called for US President George W. Bush and his allies to be tried for war crimes over Iraq.

Writing in El Pais on the fourth anniversary of the invasion, Garzón stated, “Today, March 20, marks four years since the formal start of the war on Iraq. Instigated by the United States and Great Britain, and supported by Spain among other countries, one of the most sordid and unjustifiable episodes in recent human history began.

“Breaking every international law, and under the pretext of the war against terror, there has taken place since 2003 a devastating attack on the rule of law and against the very essence of the international community. In its path, institutions such as the United Nations were left in tatters, from which it has not yet recovered.”

“Instead of commemorating the war,” Garzón continues, “we should be horrified, screaming and demonstrating against the present massacre created as a consequence of that war.”

He then writes that George W. Bush and his allies should eventually face war crimes charges for their actions in Iraq: “We should look more deeply into the possible criminal responsibility of the people who are, or were, responsible for this war and see whether there is sufficient evidence to make them answer for it.”

“For many it would be merely a question of political responsibility, but judicial actions in the US are beginning to emerge, as is the case of the verdict passed on one of vice-president Cheney’s collaborators, [I. Lewis Libby] which point in a different direction.”

“There is enough of an argument in 650,000 deaths for this investigation and inquiry to start without more delay,” he added.

Garzón then turns his scathing criticisms towards the former Spanish Prime Minister, José María Aznar, who followed British Prime Minister Tony Blair in supporting Bush’s war of aggression against Iraq.

“Those who joined the US president in the war against Iraq have as much or more responsibility than him because, despite having doubts and biased information, they put themselves in the hands of the aggressor to carry out an ignoble act of death and destruction that continues to this day.”

Aznar still defends the invasion of Iraq. He reluctantly admitted last month that he now knew Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction, but added that “the problem was not having been clever enough to know it earlier.”

Garzón answers this in his article: “If he didn’t know enough, he should be asked why he didn’t act prudently, giving United Nations inspectors more leeway instead of doing the opposite in total submission and fidelity to President Bush.”

Fearful of the extension of the insurgency in Iraq throughout the Middle East and internationally, Garzón declares that “the North American bellicose action, and that of those who supported it, has determined or at least has contributed to the creation, development and consolidation of the biggest terrorist training camp in the world.... In some way, with a terrible lack of awareness, we have been and are helping this monster grow more and more and strengthened by the minute, so that it is probably invincible.”

Garzón has investigated everything from Basque terrorism to the March 11, 2004 Madrid train bombings, whose alleged perpetrators are currently on trial. He led the investigation into the rightist terror group Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación (GAL), whose creation was attributed to the Socialist Party (PSOE) government of the day. He also banned Herri Batasuna, the political arm of ETA—the first political party to be outlawed since the death of Franco in 1975.

Back in 1996 the Progressive Union of Prosecutors filed criminal complaints against the Argentine and Chilean military for the disappearance of Spanish citizens under the dictatorships that ruled them in the 1970s and 1980s. One year later, Garzón issued an arrest order that included Argentine Navy Captain Adolfo Scilingo, who made a televised confession in 1995 of “death flights” in which hundreds of detainees were thrown from airplanes to their deaths in the Atlantic Ocean. Scilingo was detained after travelling to Spain voluntarily.

Former Chilean President Pinochet was arrested during a medical check-up in London in 1998 based on a warrant issued by Garzón. For months the judge attempted to have the dictator extradited to Spain to be tried for heading the military coup in 1973 that overthrew the elected president Salvador Allende and the subsequent murder of thousands of students and workers. He has also signalled his intention to question Richard Nixon’s national security adviser Henry Kissinger about events in Chile, after declassified documents released by the US State Department and the CIA suggested that Kissinger was well aware of what was happening.

The fact that such a prominent international judicial figure openly speaks of bringing war crimes judgement against the leaders of the US, UK and Spain is an indication that the entire Iraq campaign is heading towards a disaster and a response to the mounting opposition around the world.

Yet his statement was given only the most cursory coverage by the media in the United States and internationally. No publication chose to make an editorial comment and most simply reproduced or slightly amended a Reuters report.

Such is the level of hostility to the Iraq war and occupation in Spain, however, that even sections of ex-Prime Minister Aznar’s Popular Party (PP) are publicly declaring that his attendance at the meeting in the Azores that supported Bush in his decision to invade Iraq was an error.

Reporting on their criticism, the right-wing newspaper El Mundo commented on March 20, “The PP should not continue avoiding an auto-criticism on Iraq.”

It continues that, although the present critics were in the main opposed to sending troops to Iraq at the time, today “even if only a few dare to say it aloud ... the vast majority in the PP accept in private that Aznar made a mistake. In his zeal to make Spain more of an Atlantic country, trusting Bush blindly, he only succeeded in fertilising the rank anti-Americanism of a sector of Spanish society, as well as neglecting the repercussions this would have on domestic affairs, which, as the new (PSOE) government is demonstrating, demanded more attention than our projection abroad.”

A few hours after the El Pais article by Garzón had reached the shops, the secretary of organisation for the PSOE, José Blanco, declared in an interview in Telecinco that someone had to pay the consequences for the decision to invade Iraq. And if Bush, Blair and Aznar were to be made legally accountable, then he would support this.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/mar2007/garz-m27.shtml

READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE IN "EL PAíS" (in Spanish):
– http://www.elpais.com/articulo/opin...

La lutta continua!

Forum posts

  • It all sounds jolly good in principle, except that in order to do that, Garzon needs a lot more than the endorsment , and the cooperationof the big and powerfull, who put the Blairs, and Bushes of this world into place, so I don’t see much of that happenning as long as the established order isn’t challanged.
    It would only give international law and justice more credibility, and the world would certainly be a better place with justice for all
    But we’re not there yet.
    Ofcourse Bush and Blair are war criminals, and their accomplices, Barroso who got the top job in Europe for his loyal services to his Masters, and all the other illegal wars:
    isn’t Clinton a war criminal? he killed so many Somalis, Lybians, and even christian Serbs, let alone his 10 years embargo on Irak responsible fro more than 500 000 related deaths, and what about the successive Israeli leaders (remenber last summer’s flatenning of Lebanon?), shouldn’t they be tried? Ronald Reagan another one with blood on his hands.....etc...etc......
    Can any other juge take on all these war criminals too?
    Citizenman

    • citizenmen. The point that you may be missing is the fact that many people in some very high political possitions of power are beginning to call for war crimes trials against the bush administation. THIS JUDGE NEEDS TO ADD THE ENTIRE U,S CONGRESS to his list of war criminals and the rest of the world as a whole needs to get behind these trials and bring these butchers to justice. Bush needs to swing from a rope by his neck.

  • He’s got my vote. I say that the entire Bush administration and Tony Blair and his supporters should each me taken to Den Haag, tried and then executed.

    • quiero decir Bona nacht!

      these guys are a cancer and they’re killing the healthy cells. What takes precedence, the host or the parasite? not the parasite

    • That is correct. The charge is Treason, and the entire US Congress is complicit in the continuing madness.

      At the bequest of US Army intelligence, I myself filed an affidavit pertaining to the FBI take-over of the Architect’s, and the Engineer’s offices in the WTC, back in 1987. Those statements, and the inside knowledge I possess, verifies a long-range plan to use the Trade Tower disaster as a precusor to all of this. I conclude that Building #7 was probably ’loaded’ at the time it was built. Guiliani’s office was well aware of the EPA’s demand to have the buildings demolished, by 2007...

      TS Gordon, WTC Photographer

  • AND WHO is REALLY sending us OFF to WAR ???

    http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/offtowar.html

    • Thanks for the "Who Is Sending Our..." link!

      Here, everybody, remember this statement by Daddy Bush? ( If not, do it now! : ), aye? )

      "If the people were to ever find out what we have done, we would be chased down the streets and lynched."—President George H. W. Bush—This quote was taken from White House Reporter Sarah McClendon’s 1992 interview with President George H.W.Bush

  • Go get em Mr. Garzon, I’m an American who thinks these people
    who engineered this illegal war have to be brought to justice. Leaders
    of powerful militaries have to know they will be held accountable for
    unnecessary wars they inflict around the world. It appears that the
    real reason for this war was a chance to grab major oilfields for the
    warring partners corporate supporters. Buckles, Chiangmai, Thailand

    • This is why Bush bought 180,000 acres in Paraguay. They don’t extradite.
      He sent the twins down there with UNICEF to try to buy off the local farmers who live on this reserve. He plans on living there, with American taxdollars to pay for his own private guard.

      They know that they are war criminals and can potentially face trials for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and treason.

      They know what they are.
      They are working on Plan B.

    • A man with Courage, wow, I never thought I’d see the day that happened. :O) Just kiddin guys.

      Baltasar Garzón ,

      Congratulations for echoing the American People that have already did a war tribunal on this, and have been asking for it, and putting signs in their front yards since 2003.

  • Judge Baltasar Garzón seems to be a man with balls and integrity, something which the rest of his colleagues around the world reveal a total lack of. Indeed a man with astonishing courage he is! Indeed he appears to be. However, what can one brave man alone achieve at all? Apart from maybe nailing a few "piano players" at the best that is? The composers of the insane atrocity we are vitnessing, will stay unharmed and untouched behind safe walls, where they will keep on writing still more of the same insanity, which their fathers have produced over the last 200 years or so. And of course, there will always be "piano players" around, willing to perform the insanity. Hence, the evident brave action by the judge, might actually be a grand deception? A deception which serves the purpose of avoiding any attention whatsoever towards the composers? Or, could it be that Judge Baltasar Garzón genuinly believe that the duo Bush&Blair are not only performing artists, but also composers? Nah!... no judge could be that confused... at least thats what Brandulph thinks.

    • He’s not one brave man alone. Listen carefullly as we get closer to bush leaving office. Bush’s days are numbered and the world is starting to talk.........Listen carefully and read newspapers from countries other than the united states and britain. ..............BUSH IN IS DEEP SHIT AND HE’S PLANNING HIS EXIT TO PARAGUAY.......IRAQIS MAY BE WAITING FOR HIM THERE TO WELCOME HIM TO HIS NEW HOMELAND.................... :)

  • I am on The Judge’s side, have the Bush Regime tell the facts, and face the music.
    Ms. Rebel

  • The entire bush cabinet and any member of congress who knowing voted for the war and knew the truth about pre-war intelligence (comities beware) need to all be hung for war crimes imho.

    Further - Maybe the Spanish could save America by speaking up about the cause of the war, 9/11 - an act that probably came from within Americas own government (parts of/people in). Lets face it, the Republic as fallen anyway.

  • Muy bien Garzon. Con dos kojones.

  • Bravo Baltasar Garzon,
    good on you and do not forget the PM of Australia, the disgraceful Johnny Howard, the biggest Bush’s ass-licker. Australian troops are still in Iraq right now...
    They are all war criminals and like that they should be treated.
    I am from australia and have your same name..., Baldassarre

  • What a man WITH principals?!!???? 9/11 was OBVIOUSLY an inside job. The ’official’ story defies the laws of physics. Follow the money to find the perpetrators. As for our ’allies’ in the war on terror it is obvious they were bought off with economic aid or coerced with the loss of it in order to be one of ’the willing’. Not only have the ’reasons’ and ’goals’ of the war on terror been outright lies repeated time and time again ( if you hear it enough you will begin to believe..) but the EXACT same people are doing the same thing with Iran as the next target. There are now preliminary negotiations for getting Iranian oil through a new pipeline to India BUT remember it has nothing to do with oil. Now comes the news that Bush plans to keep some ’enemy combatants’ imprisoned for life, U.S. citizens are caught up in this web of delusional dangerous insanity. From ignoring the prewar intelligence that did not fit into the ’plan’ to continually crafting more propoganda ( i.e.d.’s from ’Iran’ are actually being made in Iraq!!!!) to firing the military leaders because they do not agree with you it is obvious that the United States has been taken over by some very dangerous, very delusional psychopathic people. When the MAJORITY of people want to know what REALLY happened and want the impeachment and criminal proceedings but our ’elected leaders’ continue to follow the same dangerous path to self destruction it is clear we are living in a fascist dictatorship. As the world realizes the extent of these crimes I hope they will realize where the real tyrant lives and send a liberating force to free us poor disenfranchised Americans from these oppressive fascists leaders who care nothing for the law, truth or human rights. I bet we could get a large coalition together real fast.....

  • From a Born and Bread American who loves America and has seen many other countries that have hard working, honest and beautiful citizens as well. I just could not resist the bait on this one.

    Look into the Leo Wanta trillions and then you see how many really need to be taken down internationally. Then even more financial debacles including the WAR IN IRAQ will be brought to light.

    Remember the majority of these individuals are above the law. They write the laws and interpret the laws to their favor. They know and see just everything long before many of us have a chance to do anything about it.

    BUT, the human spirit and desire for a peaceful life on this blue and green planet can conquer all. If enough of the nations people come together then incredible break throughs in justice, science, culture, etc can occur.

    Naive, hardly. I SAY TO CITIZENS OF EVERY NATION, LIVE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, LIVE FOR PEACE AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF YOUR FELLOW MAN. WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN DANCES, SONGS AND BELIEF SYTEMS. LET’S STOP TRYING TO SAY ONE IS BETTER THAN ANOTHER AND LIVE OUR LIVES PEACEFULLY. PERHAPS ITS TIME FOR US TO GET ON WITH THINGS AND MOVE OFF THIS PLANET.

    Taken Care Citizens of Earth

    FROM OFF WORLD WITH SECRET TECHNOLOGY AND WATCHING PEACEFULLY

  • After investigating the use of Depleted Uranium (DU) weapons and their consequences to the Iraqi population, particularly children and pregnant women, a group of concerned Japanese citizens convened a citizens court, and convicted President Bush of war crimes. So, the Japanese beat the Spaniards to it. He has already been convicted.

  • Mr. Garzon is thoughtful and probably accurate in his estimate of responsibility. There is one point that I wish to make about the invasion of Iraq by US, British and other forces. - As soon as there was talk of the impending imvasion I had a questions I have not heard repeated. For 10 years since the phony claim that Iraq was going to attack Arabia led to the devestation of Iraq, US planes overflew the country every single day. No news story missed some tale of radar being taken out by US warplanes that traveled with impunity over Iraq. Our satellites had unobstructed view of Iraq (except for storms), the borders were open to anyone looking semitic which included any Mossad agents and US Iraqi agents. People could travel anywhere in the society and spy on anyone except the most protected. So . . . how in Hell could there have been this great mobilization of weapons of Miss Direction? Ten years folks. As soon as I looked at the situation I knew it was a phony pretense for something else. Where were our famous news media reflecting on these simple facts? Where was our Congress saying anything substantive? Pathetic.

    Johnj

    • Good point.
      Also, during those ten years of U.S. planes flying over Iraqi airspace,
      Iraq did not manage to shoot down a single U.S. plane.
      They were no threat to the U.S., whatsoever.

      The U.S. bombed two of the weakest and poorest countries in the world in 2001.

  • A review of the internet will show a HUGE amount of suspicion that 9-11 was actually a controlled demolition and that Bush either allowed it to happen, or more likely, helped orchestrate the event as part of the pretext for this war.

    9-11 was a crime by Bush to kill 3,000 Americans and lie to the world about it. The agents used by Bush were Israeli Mossad agents that were caught by the hundreds and very quietly expelled from the US while Bush ordered any reporting about these Israeli connections to be silenced for "national security" reasons. America has been hijacked by a mad man! God help us.

  • It is time the rest of the world demands an accounting of the US for it’s perfidy and international crimes against humanity. Obviously, the poor, dumbed-down americans are incapable of doing so. Mr. Garzon should be applauded and supported.

  • What breathtaking arrogance on behalf of this judge. I suggest he minds his own business and keeps out of affairs that don’t concern him. Too often unelected judges try to get involved in the activities of democratically elected governments.

    • To which democratically elected government would you be referring, George W Bush was never elected. Also if the American people are incapable of stopping the murderer in the White House others will have to

    • Your Lost! And one of *THEM*

    • You are obviously very short sited, we have international laws which the USA has signed onto and in may cases brought these laws to the attention of rogue nations who violate these international laws. This judge has every right to reach this conclusion if he feels that international law has been violated. The Bush regime has not only violated international law, but violated our own constitution.

  • 9-11 was a mOSSAD operation ...
    http://www.rys2sense.com

    It was filmed and documented by 5 celebrating, dancing iSRAELI mOSSAD agents ....
    And they were allowed to flee back to iSRAEL ... http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/fiveisraelis.html

    • What rubbish 9/11 was an inside job carried out by the U.S. government on it’s own citizens. They are worse than Nazi’s. The U.S. Government carried out murder on 3000 of their citizens so that they could blame it on Afghanistan and Iraq and start a war which has made a handful of the richest people in the world even richer. Our government has become patsy’s of the rich.

  • So many people to imprison... so little time...

  • I wish there were more people out there that had the veiws that this judge has. I am of the opinion that all of our government here in the USA are thugs of the same cloth as the Nazi’s

  • Where was this judge when Saddam was murdering his enemies, critics and anyone that stood up to him? Where was this judge when neighboring villagers were murdered with mustard gas? Where was this Judge then with his commentary and calls for justice?! Was he crying out for the citizens of Iraq when the burial mounds were being dug all over the country? I think not.