Comments on: Bob Carr - friend of a war criminal

By: Andjam

Andjam — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 07:23:00 +0000

Innocent until proven guilty, indeed, but the international rules of the game mean that criminals like Kissinger will never be prosecuted.

Nothing’s impossible. Even if you think it’s impossible for the US to try him, there’s always the possibility that another country may kidnap him, take him back to that country and try him there. Probably not a very sensible move on the part of that country, but some regimes aren’t particularly sensible.

I suppose so. In the same way that Saddam Hussein ‘allegedly’ massacred Kurds, et al. Or that Osama was ‘allegedly’ behind September 11. You’re missing the point Andjam.

Or Saddam and Osama could try to argue that they did those things but they do not constitute war crimes.

My attitude towards Saddam and Osama transcends whether or not what they did was legal. For example, Saddam could argue that using chemical weapons in Halabja is not illegal, but I’d still consider it wrong and evidence that he was dangerous.

By: Antony Loewenstein

Antony Loewenstein — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 02:30:00 +0000

I took that as a given a long time ago.
As ever, Western leaders are never culpable but Third World dictators, many of which have been supported by the West, often are.
It’s always amazing how people in the West fail to see the hypocrisy of this…

By: Iqbal Khaldun

Iqbal Khaldun — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 02:17:00 +0000

I suppose so. In the same way that Saddam Hussein ‘allegedly’ massacred Kurds, et al. Or that Osama was ‘allegedly’ behind September 11. You’re missing the point Andjam.

By: Antony Loewenstein

Antony Loewenstein — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:59:00 +0000

Innocent until proven guilty, indeed, but the international rules of the game mean that criminals like Kissinger will never be prosecuted. If you doubt the evidence, get reading.
Many of the world’s countrys know Kissinger all too well..

By: Andjam

Andjam — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:20:00 +0000

Shouldn’t that be alleged war criminal?

By: Mike Jericho

Mike Jericho — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 13:35:00 +0000

Maybe they are just a little too caught up in the whole “birthplace of modern democracy” thing to fully appreciate those heart-wrenching occasions when settlers were killing Indians (as opposed to those lighthearted times when Indians were slaughtering settlers).

By: Iqbal Khaldun

Iqbal Khaldun — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 11:53:00 +0000

Haha I know, it’s crazy. Am losing my hair tearing it out as I read the mainstream press. Well, not really. Too hairy for that. But you know what I mean

Vidal is a grand old shit-stirrer. Maybe even the Mark Twain of the past few generations of American writers? I just think Carr’s gone nuts if he think he’s got some sort of progressive credentials (which I’m sure he does) just because he is on a first name basis with someone like Vidal!

By: Antony Loewenstein

Antony Loewenstein — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 11:17:00 +0000

There is more to a man who admires Kissinger? Perhaps, though it’s pretty damning. Vidal is a great old shit-stirrer.
My fave line was in today’s Oz. Carr was said to be a free of ideology. Jesus, Murdoch would say that, though it’s so untrue.

By: Iqbal Khaldun

Iqbal Khaldun — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 09:58:00 +0000

The secret to Carr’s success was his capacity to sideline personal values in favour of political convenience. He is perhaps the ‘Diet Coke’ version of Tony Blair. Apart from Kissinger, don’t forget Carr considers Gore Vidal a good mate. I’m sure in his mind he still considers himself a great intellectual. This is the same great liberal intellectual who stood so firmly, hand in hand, with Redfern’s aboriginals after the riots, and Sydney’s Muslim population after September 11.

It’s telling that the best commentary on Carr’s career came from his predecessor Nick Greiner, a man who left public life to become a tobacco company executive.