Obama’s Plan Regarding Bush Era War Crimes

Obama’s Plan Regarding Bush Era War Crimes
By Michael Haas, Nobel Peace Prize Nominee

In all, Bush’s war crimes constituted four major types of violations–the decisions to go to war, the conduct of both wars, the mistreatment of prisoners, and the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq. They are primarily violations of Geneva Conventions requirements.

President Barack Obama is doubtless aware that the administration of George W. Bush committed some 269 separate war crimes, as identified in the acclaimed book George W. Bush, War Criminal? (Praeger 2009). A copy of the book, signed by the author with an expression of good wishes, was personally provided to NBC White House correspondent Chuck Todd to be transmitted to Barack Obama shortly before his inauguration.

As president, Obama’s actions indicate that he is aware of many war crimes. He gave a speech on the subject in May 2009. But what actions has he taken? What is his plan?

It is important to remember that war crimes under Bush did not start with the invasion of Afghanistan. On the contrary, General Tommy Franks ordered his troops to comply with the Geneva Conventions at the start of the Afghan War on October 17, 2001. However, on November 13, he was countermanded by President George W. Bush, whose advisers told him that he had almost unlimited power as a war president, and that they needed intelligence from those being captured in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and elsewhere.

Some 778 prisoners ended up at the Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay. When the first batch arrived on January 11, 2002, Brigadier General Rick Baccus insisted that the Geneva Conventions be observed, but his order was soon countermanded.

The military conquest of Iraq, which began in 2003, also occurred without adherence to the Geneva Conventions. The most notable violations occurred at Abu Ghraib Prison....

Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain agreed that Guantánamo should be shut down. The public reasoning was that America’s image abroad needed to be repaired by closing the facility. They did not use the term “war crimes,” either during the campaign or subsequently. Read more.