Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

stopdiggin

(11,232 posts)
Wed Apr 13, 2022, 08:59 PM Apr 2022

Rep. Ilhan Omar: Accountability For Russia Means Abandoning U.S. 'Hypocrisy'

- HuffPost, April, 13, 2022 - Mounting evidence of widespread Russian atrocities in Ukraine is spurring the Biden administration and lawmakers from both parties to demand justice at a global level — specifically, at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Now Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) is challenging them to boost that prospect by making the U.S. a member of the court and repealing a George W. Bush-era law that requires the U.S. to block the court from investigating Americans.

“We’ve engaged in a process for a long time of delegitimizing these international institutions that essentially call for accountability, and I think it is really disturbing that we now think they are powerful enough … to hold Russia accountable. It’s easy for people to see the hypocrisy in those two statements when we’ve said previously that we don’t believe in the ability of the court to [be] unbiased,” Omar said on Wednesday.

- snip - “It’s really important for us not to have a law on the books that says in many ways it is OK for everyone to be prosecuted” but not Americans, Omar told HuffPost. “Think about just how much more powerful of a statement it would be if we didn’t just call for accountability for war crimes in Ukraine in holding Russians accountable for the possible war crimes they have committed but if we actually had skin in the game.”

- snip - She pressed Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the court at a hearing last year, and he responded that America had its own mechanisms for justice.

“Many people around the world can say that if they want,” the congresswoman told HuffPost. “True justice is blind and if we are to say we are the people who respect law and order, we can’t create exemptions where our people aren’t subjected to the rule of law and order.”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ilhan-omar-russia-international-criminal-court_n_6257384fe4b06c2ea32686b1

5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Rep. Ilhan Omar: Accountability For Russia Means Abandoning U.S. 'Hypocrisy' (Original Post) stopdiggin Apr 2022 OP
Abu Ghraib? Shock & Awe? Guantamano? n/t TeamProg Apr 2022 #1
kind of the point stopdiggin Apr 2022 #3
WMD Lies DanieRains Apr 2022 #2
K&R 2naSalit Apr 2022 #4
Ahh, Rep. Omar... OldBaldy1701E Apr 2022 #5

stopdiggin

(11,232 posts)
3. kind of the point
Wed Apr 13, 2022, 09:35 PM
Apr 2022

You can't do anything you damn well please - and then flip to appeals to 'global community', norms and human decency only when it is convenient. Or at least you can't without indulging in rank hypocrisy.

I've found Ilhan Omar to be left-footed (wasn't supposed to be a pun) about a lot of things. And I'm not even sure if I'm 100% four square behind her here. (and virtually nothing here should be construed as 'cover' for a war criminal - or whataboutism) But the hypocrisy is pretty clear and straightforward. And that certainly deserves a share of at least uncomfortable attention and discussion - given the place and times we find ourselves in. (and perhaps any other 'times' as well)

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Editorials & Other Articles»Rep. Ilhan Omar: Accounta...