Spain begins investigation of Obama for crimes against humanity

News flash:

A Spanish judge today opened preliminary investigations into claims that Predator drone attacks on Pakistan warranted the prosecution of Barack Obama and six senior U.S. officials for crimes against humanity.

Judge Fernando Andreu agreed to ­investigate the deaths of 21 people, including children, who died when Obama ordered U.S. Predator drone attacks on targets in Pakistan. [...]

The magistrate accepted that the aim of the attack had been to kill suspected members of "the terrorist group called al Qaeda".

But the United States appeared to have fired so many missiles that it was inevitably going to kill many other innocent people living nearby, Andreu said.

No, not really; sorry to get your hopes up.  Here's the actual story:

A Spanish judge today opened preliminary investigations into claims that a bomb attack on Gaza in 2002 warranted the prosecution of a former Israeli defence minister and six senior military officers for crimes against humanity.

Judge Fernando Andreu agreed to ­investigate the deaths of 15 Palestinians, mostly babies and children, who died when the Israeli air force bombed a target in Gaza City. [...]

The magistrate accepted that the aim of the 2002 attack had been to kill Saleh ­Shehadeh, who he described as a suspected leader of "the terrorist group called Hamas".

But the Israeli air force appeared to have dropped such a huge bomb on Shehadeh's house that it was inevitably going to kill many other innocent people living nearby, Andreu said.

I should say "not yet" rather than "not really", though, because although this was wishful thinking it wasn't baseless.  As I read this story I was struck by the fact that Obama's extrajudicial executions in Pakistan are closely analogous to Israel's 2002 assassination strike in almost every way—and especially in terms of the lack of concern about the inevitable civilian death toll.  So the Spanish case against Ben Eliezer and others would seem to set a strong precedent for Obama's own future war crimes trial.

Israel has vowed to do everything in its power to quash the Spanish case, of course, and the United States will no doubt do the same.  But as I've observed before, despite the rabid opposition of outlaw states like these, the mechanisms of international justice keep expanding year after year and also reaching higher in terms of who's being held accountable.  So it's not unreasonable to hope that in a few years that first version of the article will go from a wish to a reality, and our child-killing President will be held to account for his decision to appoint himself international judge, jury, and executioner.

AND ALSO: Illustrating that Obama's actions should be condemned even if you set aside the utter contempt for morality and law and look at them solely through a practical lens, the BBC reported that the second of the drone attacks "actually hit the house of a pro-government tribal leader, killing him and four members of his family, including a five-year-old child."

NO ONE SAW THIS COMING: Reuters is reporting that "Israel said on Friday the Spanish government had said it would work to amend a law under which a Madrid court is to consider trying seven Israelis over the killing of Palestinians."  I'd hate to see Spain go the route of Belgium (which amended its universal jurisdiction law under intense pressure from the United States), so let's hope the forces of evil are thwarted in this attempt to subvert justice.

Comments

[KDelphi]

This could be a problem:

http://www.propublica.org/article/judges-order-may-force-govts-to-outright-dismiss-case-090129

Obama's executive order has, apparently, stopped any trials that are currently going on at GITMO.

There is also an article in "Wired" (out of San Fran) that tells of how a judge has overruled Obama's order to stop a lawsuit against Dubya, for spying on a Muslim charity here in US---if I can get my fricking old pc to open up the story, I'll post a link...grrr..

[KDelphi]

This could be a problem; apparently, Obams' executive order ie: GITMO, stops all ongoing cases there...http://www.propublica.org/article/judges-order-may-force-govts-to-outright-dismiss-case-090129

There is also the case in San Francisco, reported by "Wired", that P Obama intervened in a case against W , for spying on a Muslim charity, which I will post if my browser will stop fucking with me....grrr.

[SteveB]

Glenn Greenwald has an excellent post up on how legal immunity for the powerful coexists with the most draconian "justice" system in the world for the rest of us. He includes one heartbreaking tale about a homeless guy who held up a bank - with no gun - and took only one of the hundred-dollar bills he was offered by the bank teller, and then turned himself in to the cops the next day, only to receive a fifteen year sentence.

It's a good example of what we should all be doing more of, making connections between the peace movement (calling for prosecution of high officials for war crimes) and social-justice movements that advocate for our permanent underclass. I haven't seen anyone else in the pro-impeachment movement doing this (although I haven't followed that movement very closely).

[KDelphi]

sorry about double post--SteveB--excellent idea---one truly cannot be separated from the other. Of course, I would prefer a permanent intl union of the underclass and the working classes of the world.

I dont think that it could start here in the uS...GOP is fighting SCHIP and , Rep Waxman is promoting a "
health insurance plan" that will, bascially, make more people go onto Medicaid. (It is CRAP, folks---youre better off getting charity care, which you cannot accept on Medicaid)
I realize that they have private, as well as public, forms of plans in Germany, France, etc. BUT, they also have people (you know, CITIZENS--not "consumers") that demand that their govts. regulate these plans. I wish I could say that for US!

Obama is "outraged" about the money that the CEOS of the Bailout are receiving---but what will he do? Move on? We need to GET THE MONEY BACK! Impossible ? No! I do not udnerstand why the govt doesnt just confiscate their houses, and belongings! They would do that to you, if you got caught with marijuana! Find out which govt program the CEO hates the most and put it there.

This would be justice, not revenge, nor "pettiness"---the govt needs the money~

If the GOP is to regard KIDS receiving free health care , as "disgracing their dignity", why even bother talking to them? They do not care about poor people in Iraq, Palestine, Gaza, US anywhere! WHY do dumbass dems insist on "negotiating" with them! At least fatass oxycontin addict Limbaugh was honest about it. He even got "Rehab" and still wouldnt quit.

They make Obama look like a fool...he needs to stop tryng to hobknob and "negotiate" with them. He's conservative enough as it is---let it go!!

That being said (rant), does anyone know what is going on with the "torture loophole" or the trials at GITMO?