We Follow Orders Or People Die

I’m currently reading a book by a conservative writer commenting on why the United States is increasingly being looked on negatively by the rest of the world. The first 40 pages have been chock full of useful and interesting information. I say this just as a means to provide a reason why my columns will be likely be focused largely on issues relating to U.S. foreign policy (as well as installment number two of the OC versus 9-0 debate). The book has, and I’m sure will continue to have, a meaningful impact on my outlook.

Anyhow, with that said, the recent revelation that White House lawyers discussed in detail the circumvention of the Geneva Conventions is one of the most poignant examples of how the United States is completely disregarding its role as the world’s unarguable leader.

As a bit of background, the Geneva Conventions were created as a result of the atrocities of WW II, although similar rules had been in place since the mid-19th century. Those who violate the stipulations of the Geneva Conventions, such as the stipulation in Article 13 of the third convention that POWs must be protected against "insults and public curiosity," risk being tried as war criminals at the International Criminal Court. I think most of us when thinking of war criminals have visions of beret-wearing dictators with an AK-47 draped over their shoulder or the Vietmanese guy with the menacing looking Fu Manchu. The U.S. has now made itself a part of that group! That is a big deal.

I’ve heard a number of commentators argue that the current state of the world, namely in regards to terrorism, changes the rules of the game. One could argue that the current state of the world is in a much better place than we were at during the Cold War, during the Vietnam War or during the Korean War, but that’s not even the point. The point is that if the U.S. felt that the Geneva Conventions were no longer relevant, they had an obligation to work through the international community to change the Conventions.

Rules are useless if no one pays attention to them, especially if the country not paying attention to those rules is the world’s 500-pound gorilla. This sets a dangerous precedent and is maybe the most profound example of policy enacted by the U.S. that have the potential to unwind hundreds of years worth of other rules that act as the fabric of everything we take for granted.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2080617

Headline Quote Movie of Origin: A Few Good Men

Character: Colonel Nathan Jessup, played by Jack Nicholson

Setting: Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, played by Tom Cruise, is interrogating Col. Jessup over the death of a low-ranking Marine in Guatanamo Bay, Cuba.

The quote is relevant to this story how?: At its most basic level, the movie tackles the topic of personal responsibility and values versus the need to conform to a set of rules that have a potentially larger impact on society at large. The Abu Ghraib controversy follows an analogous path from both the actual act of the torture, as well as in regards to the policy that the US has enacted.

Contact El Duderino at jaipf@hotmail.com.