Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

[Heid the Ba]

The only thing you can trust squaddies, even highly trained ones, to do is fuck about. We ought to be able to expect more of their bosses, but no, they covered up extra-judicial killings. No wonder people don't trust the West.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67418001

[Arneb]

Hey, remember The Rums complaining there wouldn't be a problem with Abu Ghraib if all those young 'uns these days weren't running around with digital cameras taking pictures of eacht other just anywhere?

[Heid the Ba]

Yeah, if we cover up the killings then the Afghans won't know we did it.

[Мастер]

Hey, remember The Rums complaining there wouldn't be a problem with Abu Ghraib if all those young 'uns these days weren't running around with digital cameras taking pictures of eacht other just anywhere?

Not only do I remember that, I have cited that story myself many times.

Not sure whether I did it here.

[Arneb]

I don't, at least, remember you did. But we've both been here for a long time.

[Richard A]

And let us not forget that the current British Government has introduced laws to shield its military - and other security forces - from prosecution for war crimes and the like. They hadn't yet done so when this Special Forces commander classified the file and put it in a drawer; at that time, his men could have gone to jail (and in fact some soldiers did). But now it wouldn't matter - the Government has their back. And especially if, as seems quite possible, the next election is around the time of Remembrance Day 2024, you can bet your hide Keir Starmer won't challenge it.

[Heid the Ba]

Rather than start another thread, I'll just leave this here: who knew Downing Street was in favour of Irish Unification?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-67485141

[Мастер]

Rather than start another thread, I'll just leave this here: who knew Downing Street was in favour of Irish Unification?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-67485141

I think it was the Russian embassy in Sweden that posted a map showing gasoline prices in European countries. Their map had Crimea n Ukraine.

[Heid the Ba]

Oh it gets worse, Afghan special forces were denied entry to the UK because that would make them liable to be called as witnesses in war crimes trials. So we hung them out to dry.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68332923

[Мастер]

Oh it gets worse, Afghan special forces were denied entry to the UK because that would make them liable to be called as witnesses in war crimes trials. So we hung them out to dry.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68332923

Well unlike the US, the UK is party to the ICC.

I haven’t followed the investigation, but the US put sanctions (later lifted) on ICC personnel because they were investigating incidents that could possibly implicate Americans. Apparently the US feels it is a violation of its sovereignty (over Afghanistan, I guess) even to investigate Americans. If they ever indict one, will there be a mushroom cloud over The Hague?

[Heid the Ba]

Even if the US does manage to court martial someone, on the evidence of his own unit, there is nothing to stop the president pardoning him.

[Arneb]

IRRC, the pertinent bill regarding these regulation was nicknamened the Bomb the Hague Act when it was introduced in the House.