Re: Who can arrest the President?

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

I’m confused. According to the Article on “Who has the Authority to arrest the President,” there are a few International Laws in place that are supposed to make Heads of State and Heads of Government immune from International arrest.

If in fact, officers from one country cannot arrest someone in another country, and persons holding Head of State and/or Head of Government posts are immune from arrest or liability while in office, under INTERNATIONAL LAW, then under WHAT AUTHORITY did George Bush’s officers invade Iraq and arrest their leader while he was STILL in office? :confused:

It appears to me that certain people want laws in place that are conveniently upheld for and by certain people, while these same people will conveniently disregard the laws and throw them out the window when it comes to others. I see TOO MUCH HYPOCRISY going on here! It seems to me that while US leaders feel they need to go OVERSEAS and clean up someone else’s country, THERE IS A FILTHY MESS GOING ON RIGHT HERE AT HOME!

THEY HAVEN’T EVEN CLEANED UP THIS HOUSE YET! People are homeless, hungry, unemployed, stressed out, depressed, suicidal, and the elderly, as well as the young, are falling through the cracks - right here in America! THIS HOUSE NEEDS TO BE PUT IN ORDER, before anyone tries to clean up someone else’s house. HYPOCRITES are running the joint. The MILLIONS, maybe billions, of dollars spent on this clean up job overseas could have done a WEALTH OF GOOD right here at home and been put to better use if you ask me. :dubious:

Dr. Yaffa Bey

2

Was Iraq signed up to these laws?

Plus, the people who captured and held Saddam weren’t officers in law enforcement, but officers (and non-officers) of the armed forces. Somewhat of a different thing.

Also, you should have randomly capatalised BILLIONS and not MILLIONS. But eh, stylistic choice.

3

Here is a link to the staff report: http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mprezarrest.htm

4

I don’t think having problems at home is enough reason for a country to ignore events in the wider world.

5

In all fairness, the war in Iraq started so long ago that the current problems didn’t exist yet.