(Reuters) – Former President George W. Bush has canceled a visit to Switzerland, where he was to address a Jewish charity gala, due to the risk of legal action against him for alleged torture, rights groups said on Saturday.
Bush was to be the keynote speaker at Keren Hayesod’s annual dinner on February 12 in Geneva. But pressure has been building on the Swiss government to arrest him and open a criminal investigation if he enters the Alpine country.
Criminal complaints against Bush alleging torture have been lodged in Geneva, court officials say.
Found by Cinàedh.
USA should be embarrassed “the World” has to set the moral standards for torture and illegal governmental activities. It was the first sign I had that Obama was too much the status quo politician and not a game changer. The line between competing politics and CRIMINALITY may be difficult and contentious to draw, but when all/most/too many of the same policies are adopted as one’s own, the reasons for non-prosecution are clear.
Who in the Bush Admin is not under such a cloud?
Why would anyone want W to speak anyway???
Shouldn’t this picture be part of the “Should Retards be Allowed to Hump?” article below?
Bush is not in one of the thousand families that own everything.
He’s not leaving Crawford Texas to go to Europe because he’s the ass-hole who kicked over the sand pile and now his ass is grass if one of the thousand gets its hands on his collar.
Ceausescu was yelling that his people loved him as the bullets were coming for his torso. He never involved his people in an obviously sham war and still they shot him.
What chance would Bush have in Afghanistan or Iraq, or in Switzerland over Afghanistan or Iraq?
The fix was in and the Swiss had it, (some of the old families of Europe, [the real powers behind the thrones,] obviously live there,) and he fucked it all up.
If he steps outside the North American continent, the man’s so obviously going to take the fall for all the shit that happened after the 9/11.
Unlike his Daddy, who knew his place, Shrub overstepped the bounds and he will pay if he ever crawls out of his hidey-hole.
Luckily he was weak (had no male heirs,) so they don’t have to go all Colombian on his family.
Otherwise I could predict a tragic plane crash while the family was on its way to vacation in Kenebunkport.
otis_the_chameleon_man in #3 said: “Shouldn’t this picture be part of the “Should Retards be Allowed to Hump?” article below?”
Its too late for him to nominate himself for a Darwin Award but …
If Schrub leaves North America, the Swiss families are going to go at his scrotum with needle-nose pliers and let him bleed to death.
Hey Peepod – you got some deep House of Rothschild cartel conspiracy stuff going on there. You do know BushtheRetard left Crawford Ranch immediately upon leaving office and its symbollic value ceased for him?
Images and labels. so easily led.
I know this is a liberal wet dream, but letting foreign powers arrest our former presidents would be a very big mistake.
I don’t like carter or Clinton, but if a foreign power arrested them for a trumped up charge (which this is), then I would be in support of a full military response against that country. Their are some things you just don’t do to a superpowers leaders, even former ones.
Disagree with Bush all you want. He transfered power to Obama peacefully, and for the most part has done something which Carter has not, and that is fade into history, and not hang around to comment on every little thing the current president has done. He is no longer in power, nor is he seeking power. Leave the man alone.
Gee Bob – being the key speaker in a foreign country is all about maintaining power. Your position that the entire world should kowtow to American Supremacy is just how we lost our empire.
Good job.
looks as though puppy’s brain implant is working well!
George “let’s do away with the Geneva Convention” Bush deserves what he gets. He is a disgrace to America and should be shunned by somebody! Clinton made us in to a laughing stock, Bush made us a disgrace.
Obama, trying hard to keep up….
Geneva. He isn’t missing much.
Great photo of the drunken fraternity boy being himself.
Stay home W. You’ll be hunted, like Mengele!
I’d like to see those Swiss pussies mess with Bush’s secret service detachment.
Boy hhopper you sure threw them a big chunk of red meat this time. The libs will be ranting about this until their first Monday morning latte. What a bunch of adolescents.
This Rueters article barely mentions the protests planned outside the hotel where he was to give the speech. The AP/Yahoo article I read said this. “Bush’s spokesman David Sherzer said the two-term president was informed Friday by the United Israel Appeal that his Feb. 12 dinner speech in Geneva had been called off.”
“Saturday’s edition of Swiss daily Tribune de Geneve quoted the Jewish charity’s lawyer, Robert Equey, as saying the visit was cancelled because of the risk that protests by left-wing groups could result in violence.”
“Equey told Tribune de Geneve that attempts by human rights groups to submit legal complaints against Bush to Swiss prosecutors hadn’t played a part in the decision to cancel the visit.”
And then the story includes this “Legal experts say it is unlikely Swiss prosecutors would have had the time to examine any criminal complaint against Bush and take action, such as requesting him to respond to the allegations, before he left Switzerland again.”
and this “Furthermore, an initial assessment by the Swiss Justice Ministry concluded that Bush would have enjoyed immunity from prosecution for any actions taken while in office, ministry spokesman Folco Galli told the AP.”
Almost makes me wonder if Reuters and AP were covering the same story. My sense is that the groups pursuing legal action are making sure they get the recognition whether it is deserved or not. In my opinion, most definitely not deserved.
What was that BushtheRetard said about being judged by history?
Given the strength of the Puke sentiment in the USA, I don’t think the rational assessments will come from the USA. Will have to look elsewhere for objective reviews.
Nice country–where our ex-Presidents/officials can’t travel overseas. American Exceptionalism.
Bob: “I don’t like carter or Clinton, but if a foreign power arrested them for a trumped up charge (which this is), then I would be in support of a full military response against that country. Their are some things you just don’t do to a superpowers leaders, even former ones.”
So, HITLER should have been afforded the same treatment, by your logic.
I find the sentiment for past presidents, as if they were past Kings and Queens, profoundly repugnant and antithetical to the notion of a republic lead by everyday men, who through extraordinary circumstances, rise to the challenge – or not.
If a crime is proved, so be it, as we should be lead by men as equally afraid of the law as we common folk.
To speak othewise is to slice your own throat.
He has a huge redoubt already bought in South America, guarded by hundreds of U.S. special forces troops. Your tax dollars are hard at work.
Isn’t Bush and former president Cheney also wanted in Vermont?
Anyway, the picture of the dufus above should be under “caption this photo”
Most of you are idiots, they can’t arrest him.
No cheese for W.
#19
“a republic lead by everyday men, who through extraordinary circumstances, rise to the challenge – or not.”
Oh that’s funny! That is really funny.
But I agree on the first part on how people treat former presidents. That is disgusting.
As for Bush possibly facing charges for torture and so forth. I don’t think that he should be punished any more than anyone else in his administration or anyone that voted for him twice.
Cursor_
>So, HITLER should have been afforded the same treatment, by your logic.
That is beyond silly. Even in your attempt at an analogy, Hitler’s country DID engage in a military action.
it was canceled for security reasons, no fake arrest charges
Bush and Dick will not be visiting Vermont any time soon as well, as there are warrants for their arrests there as well. They never visited the state when they were in office, they committed war crimes, and the Green Mountain Boys want their asses in jail, WHERE THEY BELONG!!!
…Bush, seen here in beer goggles, could not be reached for coherent comment.
How come the Wikileaks founder can be extradited from the UK to Sweden, and then to America, for a load of trumped up charges. But former Prez Bush can’t be extradited to Switzerland for whatever beefs they have? I guess being a major political figure head, has all the advantages. Huh?
#10 – I think the Geneva Convention has been amended down to a single sentence. “If you’re rich enough, they can’t touch you.” Period.