Cheney In The Dock

149

November 22, 2008

Published in Neues Deutschland
(Germany) on 20 November 2008
by Olaf Standke (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Ron Argentati. Edited by .

The International Criminal Court is about to open its first trial. Congolese rebel leader Thomas Lubanga is charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. Dick Cheney should stand in the dock with him. A grand jury in Texas alleges the Vice-President is complicit in the abuse of prisoners incarcerated in privately run prisons. It also alleges that Cheney summarily used the power of his office to prevent an investigation of the charges. Small wonder: Cheney is reported to have invested $85 million in companies who realize most of their profits from the private prison industry.

The accusation is appropriate for the White Houses second in command who, since September 11, 2001, has been accorded presidential privileges. The former CEO of the Halliburton energy services company has been more successful than anyone else in maximizing profits from dirty political deals. He and his team laid the policy strategy as well as the legal basis for a number of crimes. The keyword list is long and includes not only the Iraq war, Guantanamo and CIA torture, but also the savaging of political opponents to the point that their livelihoods are endangered. In addition, he is responsible for the creation of Washington insider energy, environmental and financial policies geared toward big profits.

If anyone deserves to stand before World Court judges, its Dick Cheney.

Donnerstag, 20. November 2008

Cheney vor Gericht
Von Olaf Standke

Der Internationale Strafgerichtshof steht vor seinem ersten Prozess. Angeklagt ist der kongolesische Rebellenführer Thomas Lubanga wegen Völkermords und Verbrechen gegen die Menschlichkeit. Auch Dick Cheney soll auf die Anklagebank. Ein Geschworenengericht in Texas wirft dem US-Vizepräsidenten Mitverantwortung für die Misshandlung von Gefangenen in privaten Haftanstalten vor. Ermittlungen habe er Kraft seines Amtes kurzerhand unterbunden. Kein Wunder, soll Cheney doch 85 Millionen Dollar in Firmen angelegt haben, die ihre Profite aus Privatgefängnissen ziehen. Der Vorwurf passt zum zweiten Mann im Weißen Haus, dem nach dem 11. September 2001 als erstem Vize in der Geschichte der USA die Privilegien eines Präsidenten eingeräumt wurden. Und der einstige Vorstandschef des Kriegsdienstleisters Halliburton hat wie kaum ein anderer das schmutzige Politikgeschäft auch zur persönlichen Gewinnmaximierung betrieben. Mit seinem Team legte er die politisch-strategischen wie juristischen Grundlagen für diverse Verbrechen. Die Stichwortliste ist lang: Irak-Krieg, Guantanamo, CIA-Folter, aber auch bei der Desavouierung politischer Gegner bis hin zur Existenzgefährdung oder bei der Konzipierung einer profitfreundlichen Energie-, Umwelt- und Finanzpolitik bescheinigen ihm Washingtoner Insider durchaus kriminelle Energie.

Wenn jemand dringend vor die Schranken des Weltgerichts in Den Haag gehörte, dann ist es Dick Cheney.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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