People of conscience must insist on accountability for the actions of government officials. The status of the United States as a major world power results in immunity, in practice, to accountability for its crimes. It is the obligation of citizens who recognize that no country or government is above the law of human decency, as currently embedded in international law, to demand public accountability in a court of law. Only then will it be possible to repudiate the course set by the Bush administration, continued by the Obama administration, accelerated by the Trump/Pence administration and, again, continued by the Biden administration, on the issues of “preemptive war” and treatment of prisoners.
At the beginning of the 20th century Elihu Root said that “international law relies for its effectiveness on the approval of international public opinion.” At the beginning of the 21st century, when international law against war crimes and crimes against humanity are clearly established, indictment of U.S. officials for their crimes rests on the arousal of national public opinion.
What War Criminals Watch Does
Our work is dedicated to generating public momentum and pressure to achieve indictments of these accused war criminals. To that end, we track the appointment of former Bush, Obama and Trump administrators to senior posts in business and academia (universities, think tanks, foundations, corporations, law firms) and scrutinize work of officials and advisers in the Biden administration. We help organize protests to those appointments, providing organizing materials for activists, links among human rights groups across the country and a forum for discussion.
What Are War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity?
For a PowerPoint overview explaining International Law, written by Jeanne Mirer, President of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, click here.
For Facts on International Law, compiled by Brooklyn for Peace, click here.
