Prosecuting Bush Officials for Torture - Philippe Sands

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/08/24/Philippe_Sands_on_Torture_Abu_Ghraib_and_Guantanamo

Author and legal scholar Philippe Sands discusses the likelihood that Bush Administration officials can or will be prosecuted under international law for authorizing the use of torture on terrorism suspects.

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Professor of International Law Philippe Sands tells the story of a memo. Sent in December 2002 to US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, it requested the approval of a number of coercive techniques of interrogation. As Sands tells Anna Funder, with his acceding signature, Rumsfeld pushed the United States beyond the pale of international law and directly towards the abuses of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay - Melbourne Writers Festival

Philippe Sands joined the Faculty at University College London in January 2002. He is Professor of Law and Director of the Centre on International Courts and Tribunals in the Faculty, and a key member of staff in the Centre for Law and the Environment. His teaching areas include public international law, the settlement of international disputes (including arbitration), and environmental and natural resources law.

Sands is notable for authoring a book, Lawless World, where he accuses US President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair of conspiring to invade Iraq in violation of international law. His follow-up book, Torture Team: Rumsfeld's Memo and the Betrayal of American Values, was released in May, 2008.

As a practicing barrister he has extensive experience litigating cases before the International Court of Justice, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes, and the European Court of Justice. He frequently advises governments, international organisations, NGOs and the private sector on aspects of international law. In 2003 he was appointed a Queen's Counsel. He has been appointed to lists of arbitrators maintained by ICSID and the PCA.

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[seamoremonster]

it is essential to a civilized society that Bush, Cheney, et al are brought to justice. It is a basic tenet of human decency that those who endorse and practice torture are brought to justice. The Bush Administration has disgraced our flag and our country by not adhering to the tenets of the Geneva Convention.

[cobwebhead]

Torture is Terrorism

Torturers are Terrorists

[log140]

.. "because this military in this country (USA) has a fine tradition"... P. Sands

all blown to kingdom dust forever by the bush administration!!

[HemiHead66]

That's a waste of time. I don't know how they did it - but they shut everybody up - including the media. The autopsy reports from the Department of Defense are posted on-line with Homicide written all over them, and nobody will do a damn thing. And you've got that fuck, Cheney, running around talking shit like he only water-boarded a few top-tier Terrorists. They murdered a shit-load of people that were never even charged with anything. Those paid desert-rats were scapping up innocent people.

[electrodes1300]

I wrote a letter to the UN, seems they feel they don't need to answer to anyone either. Write to the UN tell them that you know these are war crimes and demand an independent investigation.

[kolishnikov74]

Bush is the biggest tyrant since Hitler

[Darusdei]

well what i heard some bush officials propably will never travel to europe again cause for example spain has started investigating the torture of it's on citizens...

[jarviadam]

George Bush is a disgrace to America. He is the biggest criminal of all of us and he cheated his way into office to begin with. Hang em to dry and make em apologiZe to the world

[StinkingHombre]

Obongo didn't give any formal amnesties, he is just too chicken shit to hand down a formal indictment because it could backfire on his ass in a big way.

[moonchair761]

If you think Obama was wrong in giving amnesty to those who committed torture in the name of American citizens, email him, call him, let him know! We still live in a Democracy.

[Silberdachs]

If you're looking for someone to administer the lethal injections to these filthy murdering criminals, I gladly volunteer.

[HemiHead66]

It doesn't look like anyone in the United States has the balls to go after Bush. What I want to know is what the hell happened to the rest of the people in our Government. Are they all corrupt? I can't believe they sat by and did nothing. Bush told congress to fuck off and that's exactly what they did. And that Nit-Wit Pelosi saying that she can't see where Bush did anything wrong. How did she get reelected? She's totally fucking useless.