New York Times on the Web Forums Science
Russian military leaders have expressed concern about US plans
for a national missile defense system. Will defense technology be
limited by possibilities for a strategic imbalance? Is this just SDI
all over again?
(1915 previous messages)
lunarchick
- 03:44pm Apr 2, 2001 EST (#1916
of 1927) lunarchick@www.com
The FRENCH have suggested a European defence and peace-keeping
body. Presumably to 'stop' the USA from having the 'right' to pick
on a Euro State and call it 'rogue'. Wouldn't the French concept
include all States that wanted to join on the European land mass?
almarst-2001
- 04:22pm Apr 2, 2001 EST (#1917
of 1927)
"The United States had set a March 31 deadline for Belgrade to
show it was cooperating with the UN war crimes tribunal, which has
indicted Milosevic, in return for releasing $US50 million ($103.41
million) in aid and supporting International Monetary Fund and World
Bank programs for Belgrade. "
while I believe the Milosovic should be tried, it must be done
first in Yugoslavia. The Yugoslavian court offered full cooperation
with UN war crimes tribunal which could present any evidence of war
crimes to the court. If they have enough of such evidence.
In my view, the American's pressure is counterproductive and can
only cause the backlash by the Sebian people. Unless that exactly
the intention.
almarst-2001
- 04:28pm Apr 2, 2001 EST (#1918
of 1927)
almarst-2001
4/2/01 4:22pm
Untill ALL facts of Balkan war are properly investigated,
including the role of certain secret services arming and organising
the terrorists, the motives of the diplomatic actions and the NATO
leader's motives and responsibility, no justice would be seen as
complete.
rshowalter
- 04:38pm Apr 2, 2001 EST (#1919
of 1927) Robert Showalter
showalte@macc.wisc.edu
That's surely true. But complete justice can be hard to
come by.
Getting the facts of the Balkan war properly investigated,
including the role of certain secret services arming and organising
the terrorists, is important.
Investigating the motives of the diplomatic actions and the NATO
leader's motives and responsibility, is also important.
Setting out these facts, so that they are understood, and can be
evaluated on the merits, would be quite important, whether they
involve trials or not.
Even so, the ideal of a War Crimes tribunal seems to me worth
supporting.
almarst-2001
- 04:43pm Apr 2, 2001 EST (#1920
of 1927)
rshowalter
4/2/01 4:38pm
"the ideal of a War Crimes tribunal seems to me worth
supporting"
Ony if seen as impartial. The current one receives the paychecks
from the NATO countries and refuses even to consider the NATO
investigation. No investigation of KLA was announced either.
rshowalter
- 04:47pm Apr 2, 2001 EST (#1921
of 1927) Robert Showalter
showalte@macc.wisc.edu
If outsiders from CIA or anywhere else are stirring up wars, to
make money for a few corporations, or for a small clique of people
-- that's a very important thing to show -- and many people will
listen carefully. They won't want to believe it for a while.
But if it is true -- it is important to show -- it would surely
explain a lot of things.
To show such a thing, it will be necessary to get -- closure.
A marshalling of evidence.
There aren't too many American soldiers who would want to fight
for such a clique.
***
If Russia and Serbia want to unite in important ways -- that may
be very good, and historically reasonable. But in no case does that
justify some of the things that some of the Serbians did.
rshowalter
- 05:07pm Apr 2, 2001 EST (#1922
of 1927) Robert Showalter
showalte@macc.wisc.edu
almarst-2001
4/2/01 4:43pm Now almost NO war crimes are tried and punished
--- we can't say "all have to be tried, or none."
We need precidents! One on rape in war got set a while back, and
it was a good thing.
That does not detract from your basic point. 2 kinds of
"impartiality" --
1. Is the specific case, specifically tried, being
tried fairly? ........ we need to insist that it is, and the
evidence is fairly open, so that seeing miscarriages ought not to
be too difficult to see. ---- I think the Hague war crimes
tribunal passes this test.
2. Are the cases being tried being chosen on a
selective and biased bases?
The answer to this second question may be "yes" -- but if that is
true, that argument can be and should be pursued, without
abandoning war crimes trials that set good precident in individual,
focused cases.
But the fact that war crimes occurred on one side ought not to
invalidate the case for that side on other grounds, because war
crimes are common in war - on all sides. We need to set
precedents to discourage war crimes, and must start somewhere --
even though, in the beginning, selections can't be just in every
way.
rshowalter
- 05:50pm Apr 2, 2001 EST (#1923
of 1927) Robert Showalter
showalte@macc.wisc.edu
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/02/world/02CND-YUGO.html
a sensible Yugoslav case is being presented here.
(4
following messages)
New York Times on the Web Forums Science
Missile Defense
|