A Better Place

The Nuremberg trials following WWII set the stage for the healing of Europe and in many ways helped usher in a new age of peace and prosperity that included post war Germany. Joseph Stalin had advocated the summary execution of 50,000-100,000 German officers – skipping the whole messy system of due process – his brand of justice. But the peoples of Europe and the US chose instead open trials, this despite the fact that the actions of many of the defendants had led to the deaths of at least 40 million people, having committed unbelievable atrocities along the way.  While far from perfect the trials did result in acquittal and jail sentences for many – a far cry from the Stalin plan. Of the 22 defendants accused of the most serious crimes, 3 were acquitted, seven received prison sentences, and twelve sentenced to death. The Genocide Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Nuremberg Principles, the Convention on the Abolition of the Statute of Limitations on War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity, the Geneva Convention on the Laws and Customs of War, and the establishment of a permanent international criminal court all resulted in large part to the principles and spirit that came out of  Nuremberg.  

Examining the manner of death the US or those it supports has chosen for many in Al Qaeda – execution by drone aircraft, for Osama Bin laden – shot point blank with two lethal shots while standing in his bedroom unarmed, and now for Muammar Gaddafi - beaten, shot and then dragged through the streets, it appears we have little use of the international court, or for that matter international law. Instead we have chosen summary execution, without due process, without humanity, or even basic decency. We have in effect chosen the Stalin plan.

Do not mistake this as sympathy for those we have murdered. It instead stems from a deepening sadness at what we do to ourselves and to humanity in general each time we or those we support go down this path. We are supposed to be better than this, better than them. These actions only serve to add to the hate, the anger, the inhumanity of our very fragile world. It is time to address the reasons for terrorism, and evil, and hate and do something about it. It is time we led the world to peace and fairness and stop using military might as a form of world ‘diplomacy’. It is time we again set a shining example of decency and the best humanity has to offer. It is time we lead this world to a better place.