Britain is in trouble when even China can rightly sneer at our hypocrisy | Nick Cohen
by Nick Cohen from US news | The Guardian on (#5H12D)
The Tories' shameful plan to grant immunity to soldiers who torture must be defeated
How far towards rogue statehood can Britain go? As of now, the answer is that the government will offer a statutory presumption against prosecution after five years to members of the armed forces accused of murdering civilians or wounding civilians or committing any other war crime covered by the Geneva conventions. But it will not offer a pass to troops accused of sexually abusing or forcing confessions from civilians.
It will give a de facto amnesty for murder but draw the line at torture and rape. I'm sure you're relieved ministers have some standards. To show they are the moral leaders of the nation, they added they would also remove their exemptions for prosecutions for genocide. Yes to the odd murder, but no to mass murder.
Continue reading...