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2/2/06: BUSH ADMINISTRATION GUILTY OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY SAYS COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
ACTIVIST CONFRONTS RUMSFELD WITH VERDICT, SAYS ‘STEP DOWN’
Today the Bush administration was found guilty of war
crimes and crimes against humanity for invading Iraq, instituting
torture and indefinite detention, attacking efforts to control global
warming and for deliberately failing to prevent devastation and loss of
life during Hurricane Katrina.
These findings were released at the National Press
Club by the International Commission of Inquiry on Crimes Against
Humanity by the Bush Administration. The full text can be found at
www.bushcommission.org.
Shortly after the findings were released, activist
Heather Hurwitz confronted Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld with the
Commission’s verdict during his press luncheon. Hurwitz, of World Can’t
Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime, declared Rumsfeld and the Bush
administration were guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity
and that thousands were gathering Saturday, Feb. 4 in Washington to
demand that they step down. (www.worldcantwait.org)
Ms. Hurwitz was quickly removed by security
personnel. After she was led away, Rumsfeld joked, “We’ll count her as
undecided.” When informed of Rumsfeld’s comment, Hurwitz said, “war
crimes and crimes against humanity are not joking matters. Rumsfeld’s
attitude typifies this administration’s brazen immorality and
lawlessness, and this is why it must step down.’
Earlier, at the Commission’s press conference, Ajamu
Sankofa, Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility-NY
and one of the panel of jurists stated, ‘The historical significance of
this tribunal is that American citizens, civil society, is
demonstrating courage to stand up and speak its definition of the truth
against a wholly orchestrated system of deliberate deceptions.’
‘This commission is attempting to change the level of
discourse,’ said Abdeen Jabara, another panelist and former President
of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. ‘We want people to
understand Iraq is not simply as a war of choice but an actual war of
aggression from which flow certain legal consequences. Torture is often
reported as âabuse’ rather than torture. So we need to change the way
these items are talked about for people to face the fact of what this
government is doing.’
‘The Commission is incredibly important for the
future of the United States and really the world, because it’s the
people of America that are speaking to these very serious indictments,’
said panel member Ann Wright, a former US diplomat and retired US Army
Reserve Colonel. Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern added, ‘our German
fore-bearers in the 1930s sat around, blamed their rulers, said âmaybe
everything’s going to be alright.’ That is something we cannot do. I do
not want my grandchildren asking me years from now, âwhy didn’t you do
something to stop all this?”
Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, former UK Ambassador
Craig Murray, and former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter, were among
the 44 witnesses presenting testimony at the Commission’s two sessions.
The Commission will later issue detailed findings, accompanied by full
documentation.
International Commission of Inquiry on Crimes Against Humanity by the Bush Administration
305 West Broadway, #199, New York, NY 10013
PRESS CONTACT: Larry Everest 510-472-8484 COMMISSION OFFICE: 212-941-8086
commission@nion.us www.bushcommission.org
Check out press coverage of this confrontation of Rumsfeld:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1573097
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/02/AR2006020200831.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/02/AR2006020201522.html