Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Senate Urges UN Tribunal for Saddam -- The Senate, calling Saddam Hussein an > international war criminal guilty of ``crimes against > humanity,'' voted 93-0 Friday to urge creation of a > United Nations tribunal to indict, arrest and try him. > The Clinton administration expressed support for the > concept. > > The Iraqi government said it is President Clinton who > should be tried as a war criminal. > > The nonbinding Senate resolution was a largely symbolic > gesture, even sponsors conceded, although some > supporters said it could lay the groundwork for later > direct U.S. action to topple the Iraqi president. > > Clinton's spokesman, Mike McCurry, said the > administration would ``study it very carefully'' and > added, ``you certainly could make a good argument that > he (Saddam) deserves that designation.'' > > At the State Department, spokesman James P. Rubin said, > ``We do support an effort to document Iraqi war crimes, > including those of Saddam Hussein. ... We are supportive > of this idea. > > ``While there now appears to be little support in the > Security Council for such a tribunal, it is possible > that an effective, vigorous fact-finding process might > well improve the chances of support,'' Rubin said. > > Congress remains deeply divided over how to proceed > against the Iraqi leader, with conservatives grumbling > about the U.N.-brokered accord that has so far averted > air strikes and some lawmakers urging more direct action > to unseat Saddam. But there was little controversy over > the war-criminal resolution, sponsored by Sens. Byron > Dorgan, D-N.D., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa. > > It was discussed only briefly late Thursday, and voted > on Friday without any debate. > > In Baghdad, the Iraqi government responded by saying the > United Nations should instead form a tribunal to try > President Clinton -- for war crimes against the Iraqi > people. The official Iraqi News agency, quoting a > Culture and Information Ministry spokesman, said the > world was aware that ``war criminals are not those who > defend their territories, independence, sovereignty and > the legitimate interests of their people.'' > > ``The war criminals are former (U.S.) President George > Bush and current President Bill Clinton,'' the Iraqi > spokesman said. > > The House has not considered the resolution. Dorgan said > the Senate vote made a strong statement. > > ``We think it will be useful,'' Dorgan said in an > interview. He said he hoped the Senate action ``would > provide some stimulus'' for the Clinton administration > to present such a notion to the United Nations. > > ``There's not a lot we can do,'' Dorgan said. ``Is this > born of frustration? It is born of a desire to see the > evidence of Saddam Hussein's use of weapons of mass > destruction. I think it's important for the rest of the > world to see the evidence.'' > > Dorgan said the United Nations should have acted to > create such a tribunal at the conclusion of the Persian > Gulf War in 1991. U.N. tribunals have been established > to investigate war crimes in Bosnia and Rwanda. > > The resolution calls for the U.N. tribunal to be > convened ``for the purpose of indicting, prosecuting and > imprisoning Saddam Hussein.'' > > ``It is obvious that taking Saddam Hussein into custody > is a very complex matter and perhaps impossible without > an enormous military source,'' said co-sponsor Specter. > > But, he added, ``The indictment itself, the trial, even > in absentia, could give the United States a high moral > ground and warrant our action in toppling Saddam > Hussein.'' > > The resolution declares that Saddam used chemical > weapons on his enemies, both inside and outside Iraq, > waged war against Iran and Kuwait, attacked Israel and > plotted the assassination of former President Bush. > > It accuses him and unnamed Iraqi officials of ``crimes > against humanity, genocide and other violations of > international law.'' -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
