Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey The views expressed by authors or media organisations other than Mike Hitchen, do not necessarily reflect the views of Mike Hitchen Online. This blog aims to present a wide spectrum of opinion and analysis.Ratko Mladic has been arrested and his extradition to the International Penal Court is under way. As the NATO leaders make their victory speeches, let us ask this question: When is NATO going to stand in the dock and when are its leaders going to answer for their crimes? The answer in a world without international law is very simple: Never.
Well, well, Ratko Mladic, a tired, sick old man allegedly suffering from cancer, has been arrested and his extradition is being handled between Serbia and the International Penal Court at The Hague. How interesting. Why didn't they just kidnap him as they did with Slobodan Milosevic and illegally take him to The Netherlands against every fibre of international and Serbian law?
Nobody ever accused NATO of that one. The arrest and kidnapping of Slobodan Milosevic was illegal. It violated the laws of the Republic of Yugoslavia, it violated the laws of the Republic of Serbia because the quorum necessary for authorising such an act was never obtained, therefore the detention of the ex-leader of Yugoslavia and Serbia was illegal and therefore those responsible for such detention were guilty of illegal imprisonment and kidnapping. His death under illegal custody aggravates the crime. Why is nobody bringing this up at The Hague?
So why did Carla del Ponte never appear in the dock? For the same reason that no American citizen will ever appear in the dock - in international law, there are two weights and two measures, because American law does not recognise the right of extradition to The Hague to stand trial. How fortunate. That exonerates Presidents Clinton and Bush and now Obama from standing trial for their war crimes. It does not exonerate them from blame for the crimes they committed however, nor does it free them from prosecution under other legal forums.
So where is the case against NATO for the use of depleted uranium in the Balkans? Where is the case against NATO for the use of depleted uranium in Iraq and where is the case against NATO for the use of depleted uranium in Libya? The use of depleted uranium amounts to a war crime and those responsible for its deployment are war criminals.
Where is the case against NATO for the illegal war against Yugoslavia and its bombing campaign from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999, the strafing of civilians (2,500 murdered including 89 children) and wanton destruction of public and private property, outside any declaration of war? Where is the case against NATO for the illegal attack against Iraq, the slaughter of up to one million citizens, the destruction of civilian structures with military equipment, the theft of Iraqi property, the torture, illegal detention, rape and murder of civilians by NATO security forces, all outside any form of legal jurisdiction?
Where is the case against NATO for the illegal bombing of civilian homes in Libya? Where is the case against NATO for the cold-blooded murder of three of Colonel Gaddafi's grandchildren? Since when is precision-bombing a private home paramount to enforcing a no-fly zone and since when is the murder of three children an act which protects civilians from being attacked?
How come NATO can enter a civil war and take sides against the legitimate government forces, against UN law, how can NATO side with Islamist terrorists and continue to perpetrate terrorist acts day after day after day...and nothing happens? Simple: international law does not exist.
So when NATO is in the dock, call me and I shall be impressed. Until then, let us call a war criminal a war criminal, let us call a murderer a murderer and let us state loud and clear that the attempt to murder Colonel Gaddafi is illegal and renders today's NATO leaders liable for criminal prosecution.
Finally, a question for Messrs. Obama, Cameron and Sarkozy: Can you hear the screams of the terrified grandchildren of Colonel Gaddafi every night while you sleep, murdered in their home by one of your brave pilots who precision-murdered them from 30,000 feet?
And congratulations, Serbia. Now you can join the European Union. Wonderful! Stand back and watch your industry destroyed as what you export is assimilated by German industries, watch your agriculture decimated as you are paid not to produce and your production goes to France before you are left with barren fields, stand back and watch the EU label Slivovica illegal because some idiot in Brussels doesn't like it. Stand back and watch your unemployment rate skyrocket, watch a clique of elitists whisked off to cushy jobs in Brussels, watch your prices treble and your salaries stagnate and watch your customs destroyed as you become assimilated first by the EU and then by NATO. You will have to pay for it, you know. The people, not the leaders, of course... Nobody will ask you if you want to join NATO but you will be expected to buy its equipment and participate in its wars.
So congratulations, Serbia. Nice one!
Photo: NATO officers cavorting with Albanian terrorist Hashim Thaçi
