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If Taylor Is a War Criminal, So Is Bush, Obama, Clinton
Glen Ford
“Whereas Liberian president Charles Taylor was accused of encouraging the slaughter of possibly 50 000 people in Sierra Leone, Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton have armed, financed and protected the killers of six million people — 120 times as many fatalities — in the eastern Congo.”
Last year, former Liberian president Charles Taylor became the first former head of state ever to be convicted by an international tribunal. Taylor, whose 60-year prison sentence was upheld, last week, was found guilty of war crimes — not in his own country, but in neighboring Sierra Leone, where a civil war had raged from 1991 to 2002. The Liberian president wasn’t accused of personally committing mass murder in Sierra Leone, or even of having ordered that these crimes be committed. Instead, the prosecution argued that he had “instigated” others to commit the crimes in order to profit from the sale of what became known as “blood diamonds.” The court reasoned that Taylor must have known about the horrendous crimes that were being perpetrated by his friends among the rebels in the neighbouring country, and was, therefore, as guilty as they were.
Former Liberian president Charles Taylor during his trial at the International Crimes Court which seems to target only African leaders for alleged crimes against humanity
Whereas Liberian president Charles Taylor was accused of encouraging the slaughter of possibly 50 000 people in Sierra Leone, Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton have armed, financed and protected the killers of six million people — 120 times as many fatalities — in the eastern Congo, where American allies Rwanda and Uganda have been on a rampage of looting and mass murder since 1996.
Charles Taylor’s motive was said to be personal gain from the blood diamond trade — although international investigators have never found his alleged hidden treasure. The United States let loose its Rwandan and Ugandan dogs of war for a much bigger prize: the world’s largest deposits of strategic minerals that are required for maintenance of modern industries and war machines.
Charles Taylor’s stash of ill-gotten cash may be fictional, but the flow of Congolese coltan and other strategic minerals through Rwandan and Ugandan military middlemen to the rich countries of the West is undeniable. Charles Taylor’s crimes in Sierra Leone — if he is guilty — pale in comparison to those of US presidents in the Congo, where Clinton, Bush and Obama have instigated, encouraged and collaborated in the worst genocide since World War Two. And, just like common criminals, they tried to hide the evidence — suppressing United Nations reports, preventing discussion of Congo’s complaints before the World Body, and flooding the corporate media with propaganda that Rwanda and Uganda’s leaders are the most honorable men in Africa — when, in fact, they are the continent’s most coddled thieves and killers.
Of course, the United States will never submit to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court; its presidents cannot measure up to anyone’s standard of justice. They live by the law of the gun — the greatest war criminals on planet Earth.
Black Agenda Report
Posted by
Isaac
November 1, 2013 at 2:01 pm
You have miscellaneously added two men who belong to the Democratic party and these are; Obama and Clinton. To my understanding these are innocent. The Republicans like Bush senior and Bush junior can be regarded as such.
pwipwimpi
November 1, 2013 at 2:19 pm
African countries mst quit ICJ. To hell with the west!
ndolaman
November 1, 2013 at 4:26 pm
What is your opinion of Mobutu, Mugabe, Saddam Hussein, The Ayatollah, Pol Pot , Idi Amin, Abacha, Mariam
test@e
November 1, 2013 at 3:04 pm
heheheheh! But Taylor is Black and hence a terrorist
ndolaman
November 1, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Africa needs ICC for the simple reason that African leaders need to be made accountable for there actions while in power. It is a long list of African leaders that have been despots and caused so much suffering to there people. Leaving the whole continent least developed. Mobutu, Bokasa, Kamusu Banda the list is endless. Even here in Zambia some of our past Presidents qualify to be taken to the ICC.
Yes the USA is not a signatory to the ICC as such there are not answerable. But that should not be a reason to shun or shut down the ICC. There are parts of the world that needs this institution for the well being of humanity.
Personal hatred for the American government shouldn’t put others in peril
Chanda ngosa
November 1, 2013 at 10:34 pm
Lekeni ifyabupuba
Umwina Zed's Cousin
November 2, 2013 at 1:43 am
Africa only needs the ICC if the whole world needs it. We cant be the only subjects of justice unless we are still regarded as subhuman. Thats what those who colonised us thought of us. Now they want to continue by colonising us through this ICC which ignores George Bush’s atrocities but scans Kenyatta and Taylor for crimes that are minute compared to the Americans’* Justice is for all
Higher Taller
November 2, 2013 at 2:03 am
And Ndolaman why are you focusing on black men? Are you a racist or you have been brain washed into believing only blacks cause blood shed? what’s your opinion of George Bush senior and George Bush jr, Adolf Hitler, Antonio Salazar, Tony Blair, Francisco Franco all white men who caused the death (murdered) of millions around the world?
nebo
November 2, 2013 at 9:27 am
No kingdom lasts forever on this earth. CharlesTaylor was deemed guilty from onset the legal procedings were mere formality. Bush, Brair and co had no evidence aagainst Saddam Hussein but still had him killed plus thousands if not millions more and counting.
peace maker
November 3, 2013 at 7:17 am
Congo shall be saved in Jesus name
pompwe
November 3, 2013 at 10:23 am
release Charles Taylor indeed..
Mwata Kapale
November 3, 2013 at 9:20 pm
A very precise and point blank analysis. We need more of such documents because most African men have narrow and ignorant mindsets and will argue from a very weak.