Thursday, December 17, 2015

War Crimes are the Big Idea from the Republican Presidential Candidates

I was going to say "War Crimes are the New Big Idea from the Republican Presidential Candidates", but they aren't really new.
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The debate gave us more information on a mention that Trump made earlier, but he isn't alone.  These are the War Crimes proposed:
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Torture
In the Pro camp here are: Jeb Bush (kind of has to be - you know, his brother started waterboarding).  Chris Christie (because he was a former prosecutor).  Ben Carson (because he's a healer).  Carley Fiorina (just ask employees at Hewlett Packard (rim shot) - no, she likes waterboarding).  Marco Rubio (he's tough) and Donald Trump.  Only Donald Trump has come out and added, even if torture doesn't work, he is fine with it because they are bad guys.
-  Oddly, Ted Cruz has explicitly come out against it.  I think just to piss off Marco.
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Indiscriminate Killing of Civilians
Also a war crime:  Ted Cruz - carpet bombing is a war crime.  Ben Carson - trying to be tough.
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Purposeful Killing of Civilians
Donald Trump: "I would kill the families of terrorists."  Even Bibi doesn't go that far in Isreal, he only destroys family's homes.
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Implied use of nuclear weapons on Civilians (falls under Indiscriminate Killing, but deserves its own callout from me).
Ted Cruz "I don't know if sand can glow, but we will find out."