It has been truly said of John Bolton that somewhere there’s a cave full of bats wondering where their shit went. Ed Kilgore writes,
The U.S. has had an up-and-down relationship with the I.C.C. — founded to provide sanctions against individuals committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide — since it was founded by the Rome Statute in 1998. Bill Clinton signed the statute in 2000 but did not submit it to the Senate for ratification, saying he wanted to observe the I.C.C.’s record first. George W. Bush formally renounced any U.S. obligations to the court when it began operating in 2002. Barack Obama announced a policy of cooperation with the I.C.C. as an observer nation.
Now the pendulum is swinging back with a vengeance, as Bolton labeled the court “illegitimate†and “dead to us.â€
“Dead to us”? The Guardian reported,
Bolton vowed that the United States would retaliate by banning ICC judges and prosecutors from entering the US, imposing sanctions on any funds they had in the States and prosecuting them in the American court system.
“If the court comes after us, Israel, or other US allies we will not sit quietly,†he said, also threatening to impose the same sanctions on any country that aided the investigation.
He condemned the inquiry into war crimes in Afghanistan as an “utterly unfounded, unjustifiable investigation†and the court as illegitimate.
“We will let the ICC die on its own. After all, for all intents and purposes, the ICC is already dead,†Bolton said.
He said the US would negotiate more binding, bilateral agreements to prohibit countries from surrendering Americans to the court in The Hague.
So Bolton is like …
And then, showing appreciation of the subtle finesse required to settle delicate international disagreements, the Trump Administration closed the PLO office in Washington, apparently to bully the PLO into caving to Israel. Yeah, sure, that’ll work.
Last time I was at the Hague, a few years ago, I visited the facilities there and asked if they had room for the GWBush regime. While the facility is not that large, I imagine they could fit quite a few using the methods the US uses in GITMO.
Back in their good ol' days, if a Soviet General or high Minister had given Bolton "their mean-ol' snake-eye," the ends of his mustache would have drooped down to the puddle of piss surrounding the shoes he'd thoroughly pee'd through!
Strange as it may seem some women find it to be a turn on kissing a guy who has day old food particles hanging in their mustache. I think they call it Clementine syndrome, or in some parts of the country it's called Prospector's delight.. I just wonder if John the mountain man Bolton is familiar with that kink?
“utterly unfounded, unjustifiable investigation”
Well why didn't he just call it a witch-hunt!
I think Trump trade marked the term as part of his brand.
Swami: As we say, and our parents said before us, "it takes all kinds to make a world."
I suppose I should have been better prepared, my grandmother used to refer to my grandfather's mustache derisively as his "soup strainer." (Although it would have been in Ukrainian.)
Still, some things are best left unconsidered.
I'll be leaving the country for a couple of weeks, but, I'll check in. We need to put a little space between us and the slow motion train wreck that we are witnessing. When we return, we have vowed to start the process of "death cleaning," a la Margareta Magnusson. The idea evokes a strange mixture of sadness and gratitude, while underscoring the Buddhist wisdom that "everything is impermanent." (Forgive me if I've turned that one bollocks up, Maha.)
I see a little bit of hope in younger progressives. At their best, they are bold and savvy. At least, it comforts me to see them that way. The world we wanted will never be. They will be faced with reconstructing the wreckage, or building something new. I think it's pretty clear what their choice will be. We are attached to a world that they never knew, after all. I wish them luck.
Trump and his lackeys seem intent on smashing the most fundamental and essential elements of decency and civilization. In doing that, they are giving the young a clear image of what they are fighting against.
Speaking of the Untouchables…. Every time I see the video of Roger Stone wearing his pin stripped suit I have flashbacks of the seeing Bruce Gordon portraying Frank Nitti in the original television series of the Untouchables. It's such a strange phenomenon to have an awareness of the acute sense of the minds ability in recall of pattern recognition. It's like after almost sixty years to be able to say…I've seen that suit before and I know where I've seen it.
https://theredlist.com/media/database/films/tv-series/police-and-crime/1950/the-untouchables/021-the-untouchables-theredlist.jpg
Made for tv movie. Boltonelli barking dog of Drumpfini threatens ICC.
Go on, keep antagonistizing organizations you may someday have to beg for leniency.
"somewhere there’s a cave full of bats wondering where their shit went."
ROFLMAO.
Goat, have a nice trip! O.T. no need to worry about hurricane Florence, Pat Robertson has asked Jesus to spare his campus! Besides don't hurricanes only hit the queers?
https://youtu.be/ZRP193-6Zak
Uncledad, You deserve national treasure status
Another day, another impeachable offense from Donnie the Dotard:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/09/11/femas-budget-cut-10-million-support-ice-documents-show/1274723002/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatodaycomwashington-topstories
Yes, Dumpster embezzled 10 million to build up the ICE Holes, the agency that we all hope will be disbanded and the sorry bunch of rejects and lowlifes staffing it imprisoned. The agency schools have to warn students about, lest kids be spirited away by thugs, never to be seen again.
I’ll let you know how Florence works out. Nobody expects any help from the Idiot.
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks"
Bolton's rant is almost an admisson of Amerian guilt.
For someone reputed to be a smart operator, this was not a really good move.
Trump's 9/11 speech was a real stomach turner. Sincerity was just oozing from him. He doesn't perform well when he's wearing a bridle. It sounded like Stephen Miller plagiarized parts of the Gettysburg address in composing that speech for Trump. Pure insult to injury!
Talking about a speech putting one to sleep, I want to nominate Trump. His speeches are so monotone while he tries to give the impression he is so authoritative. Ho-Hum