JUSTICE BEFORE PEACE

ONCE AGAIN THERE IS PREMEDITATED MURDER IN INTERNATIONAL NEWS.  AND AS DURING THE SEIGE OF SARAJEVO TWENTY YEARS AGO, THERE ARE PUNDITS THAT TELL US HOW COMPLICATED IT IS.  AND ONCE AGAIN I AM PROMPTED TO SAY, HORSESHIT.  THERE ARE ALWAYS CHOICES — CHOICES FOR ASSAD IN SYRIA TODAY AS THERE WERE FOR THE LEADERS IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA — CHOICES FOR THE POWERFUL — AND CHOICES FOR THE UN.  


WELL, I AM GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN: THE UN HAS GONE AS FAR AS IT CAN GO WITHOUT A MAJOR RESTRUCTURING OF ITS CONSTITUTION.  IT IS TIME TO STOP BEING THE UNITED NATIONS.  IT IS TIME TO BECOME THE UNITED CITIZENS OF THE WORLD.  FOR JUSTICE TO PREVAIL ON THIS MUCH TARNISHED ORB THE RIGHT OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO LIFE HAS GOT TO TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANY NOTION OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF NATIONS.  IF A NATION'S LEADERS, ITS GOVERNMENT, ITS ARMIES, ARE MURDERING ITS OWN PEOPLE THEN THE UNITED NATIONS, AND ONLY THE UNITED NATIONS, SHOULD BE STEPPING IN WITH FORCE, NOT TO KILL THE PEOPLE DOING IT BUT TO ARREST THEM AND REMOVE THEM TO THE HAGUE WHERE THEY CAN STAND TRIAL AS CRIMINALS, WHICH IS WHAT THEY ARE.  LET EVERYONE AROUND THE WORLD KNOW THAT IF YOU MURDER PEOPLE, WHETHER YOU ARE A PRIME MINISTER OR A DESPERATE THIEF IN AN ALLEY, YOU ARE GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS.  UNTIL THE UN CAN BRING JUSTICE TO ALL THE WORLD'S PEOPLE IT WILL NEVER BRING PEACE TO ANYBODY.  JUSTICE, NOT PEACE, IS THE ONLY GOAL WORTHY OF A HUMANE PEOPLE.  IT IS ALSO THE ONLY POSSIBLE PATH TO A REAL AND LASTING PEACE.