forum.atlantisinireland.com

[ulferlingsson]

My advice to president Obama today:

"The world financial crisis is in turmoil. What is required to restore its functionality is trust, that people inside and outside the US regain their fundamental trust in the civic society of the US. IMHO the loss of trust in the financial system is intimately related to the loss of trust in the judicial system. Thus, for trust to be restored it is not enough to address financial regulations etc. It must also be made perfectly clear that the rule of law has returned, also for US war crimes."

The reasoning is that the financial markets are largely governed by basic human instincts, and they are as much related to non-financial factors as purely financial factors. Even if regulation returns, how can we trust that it will be enforced, if not even war crime legislation is enforced? If the worst of all human crimes - that of starting a war of aggression - can go unpunished, then what hope is there that someone with a nice tie who rips me off my money will get punished?

The war crimes is a litmus test. That is why they matter so much. They are the obvious and flagrant crimes committed by the Bush regime, and if they go to court, then absolutely nobody is above the law. Perhaps prosecution of lesser crimes will do the job, but why gamble? Go for the biggest fish in the pond to set the example, I say. By all means, don't ignore the other fish, though.