“We have to judge Putin for crimes of aggression, of course. But you, the Americans, you committed the crime of aggression in Iraq,” French journalist Darius Rochebin challenged John Kerry Sunday night on French channel LCI. “These countries of the Global South are saying, ‘Shouldn’t George Bush be charged?’ Why is George Bush not charged in the same way? Would you be in favor of that?”
“No,” was Kerry’s one-word reply. When pushed to explain himself, he lamely added that “there’s never been a direct process of accusation against Bush.”
He acknowledged: “Have there been abuses in the course of that war? Yes.”
Rochebin kept up the pressure: “Excuse me, wasn’t it a crime of aggression to enter Iraq on the basis of a lie?”
“No. No. No,” Kerry stuttered, before giving this brilliant defense: “Well you didn’t know it was a lie at the time….”
“But he [George Bush] lied. He lied. He lied,” Rochebin insisted.
“Sir, I’m not going to re-debate the Iraq War with you here right now,” said Kerry, who went on to wax eloquent about how great Biden is.
“I understand this, but do you understand that certainly for the countries of the South, the concepts of justice, equality, principles — they have the impression that there is a double standard,” replied the journalist.
One reason that Julian Assange is being made an example, is to prevent the media from seriously challenging government action and policy, as this host did with Kerry.
