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Spot the difference (both quotes by Taylor Griffin, U.S. Treasury Dept.): 1) "The Bush administration is committed to the full and fair endorsement of the law" (re. breaking trade sanctions against Iraq). 2) (The Bush administration) "is committed to the full and fair enforcement of the U.S. embargo against Cuba." Dear All on List, President Bush's administration seems eager to demonstrate that, in relation to colonial wars, all the trappings of legality are seen to be scrupulously adhered to - whenever convenient. Was the war against Iraq according to internationally acceptable norms and behaviour? Has the utmost care been taken to protect the lives and welfare of Iraqi citizens, many of them non-combatants? Have the Geneva Conventions, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the U.S. Constitution itself, all been respected and followed, meticulously? Of course not! Has disseminated information, for the U.S. public, as well as for peoples abroad, been totally honest, without the slightest hint of deception? Were the reasons for going to war as a very last option, and not a foregone conclusion, convincing to anyone with a modicum of intelligence? Now, months after the war was "declared", searches for those eternally evidential WMDs continues (a bit more than 45 mins!). But, rest assured, one day, like that proverbial crock of gold at the end of the rainbow, we'll find them. It'll prove that the war was just and legal - or maybe that don't matter too much, at least it was "patriotic" (or so we are told). In the prevailing, war-mongering, climate, some U.S. citizens feel obliged to follow their consciences and show some humanity. One such shining example, there are others, of personal integrity, a lady of 62, from Sarasota, she was amongst a small U.S. contingent who risked their lives as "human shields" in Iraq. Faith Fippinger is now faced with massive fines for breaking the law by crossing the Iraqi border - in violation of U.S. trade sanctions. Hundreds of thousands of people, in army uniforms, are not being charged with criminal offenses - perhaps they are merely following orders? It looks as if the U.S. Treasury Dept. prefers to, quietly, be handed over an ?initial fine of $10.000. Although no guarantee the case would then be closed, such a "settlement" is reccommended. Who should be surprised that U.S. authorities favour settlements - having, for decades, supported hundreds of them in Palestinian Occupied Territories! Greetings, Bert Gedin. _________________________________________________________________ Use MSN Messenger to send music and pics to your friends http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk