Old Europe meets

[Lazerus]

Originally posted by War of Art
Because one of the EU's largest millitary powers has no independance from the US?? If America says "Lets'have a war", do the Brits ever say no? How could Europe be a counter-balance to the US if they never stand up to its bullying?

-Jam

On the other hand, why have an army when you're never going to use it just to spite the Americans ?

And please no independance from the US? we've been in twice as many fights and do alot more peacekeeping work in the world then them. They just grab the headlines because they're the major player when they do join in.

[Kropotkin]

What planet do you live on? Has Sharon been convicted?!

[Lonestar]

Originally posted by Saras
The word "Kimono" comes from the Greek work "chimona", which means "winter".
What do you put on when it's cold? A robe!. So there you, Chimono-Robe-winter-Kimono.

Yeah, I saw that movie too.

slightly back on topic, I don't think we should vacate our military bases overseas unless the local governments make a formal request to leave. With already closed down a lot of bases overseas as it is.

[Drake Tungsten]

What planet do you live on? Has Sharon been convicted?!

I know he can't go to Belgium for fear of arrest. If he hasn't been convicted of anything, that would just make the situation even more absurd. Should Tommy Franks or any other American general have to tailor their travel plans to avoid whatever European countries have a warrant out for their arrest on ludicrous war crimes charges?

The US might have signed on to the ICC if you Euros would treat war crimes as the rare and serious things they are, instead of as an excuse to score political points.

[gsmoove23]

Last I heard the Sharon trial fell through, despite the fact they had quite a case.

[Az]

Of course they did.

[Kropotkin]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
The US might have signed on to the ICC if you Euros would treat war crimes as the rare and serious things they are, instead of as an excuse to score political points.

"You euros"? Are talking about me? Get you grip together, I just agreed that the idea to convict Franks for war crimes seems absurd a few posts ago. I have no desire for the ICC to score political points. I'm not the one 'inventing' convictions to score political points.

[Spiffor]

The problem with the Belgian system is that pretty much anybody can fill a case, even if this case will be ruled out by the court eventually.
I seem to remember there was a case against Pinochet. I wonder if there are cases about the dictators of the world, but I wouldn't be surprised. I'm almost sure many political dissidents in exile in Belgium try to make a case against their oppressors.

The only cases that we hear about are those against persona grata in the west. It doesn't necessarily mean all cases are against them.

[DinoDoc]

Damn you Drake! How the hell did you get Sharon from this thread without any stops in between?

[Kropotkin]

Spiffor: Actually I think there's something about a former dictator of Chad also being prosecuted. I think I read that about the same time as the belgian court decided that Sharon could be prosecuted without being present in the country himself. This would also apply for the Chad dictator. For obvious reasons that didn't get any real attention. It's not just americans that have problems finding Chad on a world map...

[Ned]

If the ICC indicts Franks, I think the first thing he ought to do is fly to Netherlands for dinner.

Then let's see if the brave Dutch want to arrest Franks.

[Spiffor]

AFAIK, the ICC cannot indict Franks. The US are not part of the ICC, so it cannot condemn any of its citizens I think.

The case we are talking about is pure Belgian, and not international in any form.

[Ned]

Then he should have dinner in Belgium.

[Spiffor]

I highly doubt the Belgian justice will give following to the case anyway.

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Spiffor
The problem with the Belgian system is that pretty much anybody can fill a case, even if this case will be ruled out by the court eventually.
I seem to remember there was a case against Pinochet. I wonder if there are cases about the dictators of the world, but I wouldn't be surprised. I'm almost sure many political dissidents in exile in Belgium try to make a case against their oppressors.

The only cases that we hear about are those against persona grata in the west. It doesn't necessarily mean all cases are against them.

There are numerous cases, but you don't know about those, only Sharon cases or Tommy Franks cases get the media..