On War Crimes Part II: Kissinger, Hitchens, & Pinochet
The Central focus on bringing war criminals to task is of course “justice”. But will taking Dr. Kissinger to court for his actions bring any justice to anyone? This is not to say that he can’t be taken to court but whether or not it serves any real purpose in doing so.
Matlock concludes that the call to implicate and judge leaders of the past, like Kissinger, may actually convince people that dragging people before international tribunals is the wrong thing to do.
In a New York Times Op-ed, Stephen D. Krasner suggests some of the problems. He points out that establishing courts or bringing people like Kissinger in to them is the, “wrong instrument for dealing with large-scale war, devastation, destruction, and crimes against humanity. Judicial procedures are designed to judge the guilt or innocence of individuals, but developing stable democratic societies and limiting the loss of human life require prudent political calculations, not judicial findings.”
Next Week: Part III- If Henry Kissinger is not war criminal then who is? We’ll look at the recent war crimes of Yugoslavia to compare against the Bob Kerrey and Henry Kissinger models.:
Resources and Links: Crimes of War Online
This site is a great resource with articles and expert opinions that attempts to turn the dry langauge of international humanitarian law into something worth reading. Click here to visit a site documenting a forum with Mr. Hitchens on the topic Click here to read part One of the Harper's Article Click here to read part Two of the Harper's Article Click here to get more information on Pinochet from the BBC Online Or go to the On War Crimes Discussion Board here at the Suite
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