[Peace-discuss] Disobedience...

[C. G. Estabrook]

Civil disobedience is not our problem.  Our problem is how to work
effectively with the unprecedented fact that the US launches on this
imperial venture without the support of one-half of the populace.  That's
never happened before.

Our job is to use the dismay and outrage of people across the country to
lessen the killing and prevent the USG from committing further crimes, in
Iraq and beyond.  We do that not by isolating ourselves form the greater
anti-war movement but by uniting with it.  That seems to me what AWARE has
tried to do from its founding.  And the administration's position is to
isolate us by pushing "support-our-troops" and (with the Democrats)
"now-that-fighting-has-begun-we-must-pull-together-behind-our-President."  
It's that sort of nonsense that has to be fought.

Ricky referred to Howard Zinn's remarks on civil disobedience:

  Civil disobedience is not our problem.
  Our problem is civil obedience.
  Our problem is that numbers of people all over the world
  have obeyed the dictates of the leaders of their government
  and have gone to war, and millions have been killed
  because of this obedience ...

According to the Nuremberg Principles, not only soldiers but also
civilians have a duty to disobey all orders to commit acts that constitute
crimes under international law -- see especially the sections concerning
"crimes against peace" and "crimes against humanity":

***** Principle VI

The crimes hereinafter set out are punishable as crimes under
international law:

a. Crimes against peace: (i) Planning, preparation, initiation or waging
of war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties,
agreements or assurances; (ii) Participation in a common plan or
conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the acts mentioned under (i).

b. War crimes: Violations of the laws or customs of war which include, but
are not limited to, murder, ill-treatment or deportation to slave labor or
for any other purpose of civilian population of or in occupied territory,
murder or ill-treatment of prisoners of war or persons on the seas,
killing of hostages, plunder of public or private property, wanton
destruction of cities, towns, or villages, or devastation not justified by
military necessity.

c. Crimes against humanity: Atrocities and offenses, including but not
limited to murder, extermination, deportation, imprisonment, torture,
rape, or other inhumane acts committed against any civilian population, or
persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds whether or not in
violation of the domestic laws of the country where perpetrated.

Principle VII

Complicity in the commission of a crime against peace, a war crime, or a
crime against humanity as set forth in Principle VI is a crime under
international law....

<http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/meiklejohn/meik-peacelaw/meik-peacelaw-10.html>
*****