Pompeo's Hubris, Arrogance, and Contempt for Rule of Law Principles

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Pompeo, Bolton, and Abrams are ideological extremists - contemptuous of rule of law principles and democratic values, supporting fascist tyranny worldwide, at home and abroad.

Their psychopathic rage for unchallenged US global dominance threatens everyone everywhere. Trump showed his core values by letting them run his regime's geopolitical agenda.

At a Friday press briefing, Pompeo recited his usual litany of bald-faced Big Lies. Nothing he says is credible. 

Following Senate passage of a bill to end US military involvement in Yemen, House passage virtually sure to follow, Trump certain to veto the measure, Pompeo lied saying the following:

"We all want this conflict to end (sic). We all want to improve the dire humanitarian situation (sic). But the Trump (regime) fundamentally disagrees that curbing our assistance to the Saudi-led coalition (sic) is the way to achieve these goals."

Fact: Yemen is Washington's war, begun weeks post-9/11, waged by three US regimes, the Saudis involved earlier and again since March 2015 - along with the UAE, Israel, and other regional rogue states, responsible for creating the world's most extreme humanitarian crisis these nations don't give a damn about.

Millions of Yemeni civilians are imperiled, harmed by war, related violence, untreated diseases, starvation, and likely widespread famine if the conflict continues endlessly - because of Trump regime policies, escalating what its predecessors began.

The official death toll is fabricated. Since 2001, hundreds of thousands of Yemenis perished, mostly over the past four years, countless numbers more dying daily. 

An entire nation and its people are at risk, the world community failing to act with resolve and toughness to end the forever US war.

Pompeo finds new ways of disgracing himself, falsely blaming Iran for US war in Yemen, saying if Senate members "truly care about Yemeni lives, (they'd) support the Saudi-led effort (sic) to prevent Yemen from turning into (an Islamic Republic) puppet state (sic)," adding:

"If you truly care about Arab lives in the region, you'd support allied efforts to prevent Iran from extending its authoritarian rule from Tehran to the Mediterranean Sea and on down to Yemen (sic)." 

"And if we truly care about American lives and livelihoods, and the lives and livelihoods of people all around the world, you'd understand that Iran and its proxies cannot be allowed to control the shipping lanes that abut Yemen (sic)."

Fact: Iran seeks world peace, stability, and cooperation with other nations, control over none - its agenda polar opposite US rage for endless wars of aggression against nations threatening no one.

Pompeo: "The United States has given more than $2 billion to help the Yemeni people since the start of the conflict (sic), and Saudi Arabia has given over $500 million in 2018 (sic) alone and has pledged an additional $500 million this year (sic)."

Fact: The US and Saudis provide humanitarian aid to no one - their resources used for aggression, supporting ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other jihadists, along with other tactics serving their destructive agenda, hostile to the rights, welfare, and lives of ordinary people.

Most often, the International Criminal Court (ICC) functions as a pro-Western imperial tool.

Established by the Rome Statute on July 1, 2002, it's mandated to prosecute individuals for genocide and aggression, as well as crimes of war and against humanity.

Throughout its history, it let the US, NATO, Israel, and their imperial partners get away with mass murder – never holding any of their officials accountable for the highest of high crimes, prosecuting their victims alone.

In August 2002, the American Service Members' Protection Act (aka The Hague Invasion Act) was enacted into US law. 

It "protect(s) United States military personnel and other elected and appointed officials of the United States government against criminal prosecution by an international court to which the United States is not party."

It authorizes the president to use "all means necessary and appropriate to bring about the release of any US or allied personnel being detained or imprisoned by, on behalf of, or at the request of the International Criminal Court (ICC)."

It prohibits the extradition of anyone from America to the ICC, action only against US enemies permitted.

Last September, John Bolton slammed the ICC, saying the US "will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and those of our allies from unjust prosecution by this illegitimate court (sic)."

"We will not cooperate with the ICC. We will provide no assistance to the ICC. We will not join the ICC."

"We will let the ICC die on its own. After all, for all intents and purposes, the ICC is already dead to us" – except when prosecuting US enemies, often unjustly accused of crimes committed against them.

Bolton absurdly claimed the ICC "threatens American sovereignty…US national security interests" and Israel, saying "(i)f the court comes after us, Israel or other US allies, we will not sit quietly."

"(W)e will prosecute (its officials) in the US criminal system. We will do the same for any company or state that assists an ICC investigation of Americans."

Pompeo made similar remarks, saying the Trump regime intends holding "international institutions…accountable when they fail to serve the people that they purport to help" - meaning Western interests against all others.

The US refused to join the ICC, Pompeo claiming its "prosecutorial powers…threat(en) American national sovereignty (sic)."

He slammed the Court's investigation into "the situation in Afghanistan," the longest US war of aggression in modern times, responsible for horrific crimes of war and against humanity.

According to Pompeo, the Court's probe "could illegitimately target American personnel for prosecutions and sentencing (sic)."

There's no ambiguity about US high crimes in all its imperial wars, responsible for countless millions of casualties post-WW II, accountability never forthcoming.

Given the ICC's Afghan war probe, Pompeo said he's "announcing a policy of US visa restrictions on those individuals directly responsible for any ICC investigation of US personnel," adding: 

"This includes persons who take or have taken action to request or further such an investigation. These visa restrictions may also be used to deter ICC efforts to pursue allied personnel, including Israelis, without allies' consent." 

"Implementation of this policy has already begun. Under US law, individual visa records are confidential, so I will not provide details as to who has been affected and who will be affected."

"These visa restrictions will not be the end of our efforts. We are prepared to take additional steps, including economic sanctions if the ICC does not change its course."

Washington under Republicans and undemocratic Dems (the war party) operates by its own rules exclusively. International law obligations are for US adversaries to observe, not its imperial partners.

Pompeo egregiously turned truth on its head, claiming "America's enduring commitment to the rule of law, accountability, and justice is the envy of the world."

Fact: The US is a pariah state, a totalitarian plutocracy, abhorrent of rule of law principles and democratic values - at war on humanity to force its will on other nations and their populations worldwide.

Like other Trump regime officials, Pompeo is an ideological extremist, a war-mongering threat to humanity, serving US hegemonic interests and his own.

The ICC prosecutor's office said it has a "reasonable basis" to believe "war crimes and crimes against humanity" were and continue to be committed by (US and other) occupying forces in Afghanistan.

Bolton and Pompeo threatened the Court for its probe. It responded saying it'll continue its work "undeterred (seeking) accountability for the gravest crimes under international law."

It remains to be seen how far it intends going and what actions the Trump regime will take if US military and/or civilian officials are affected.

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