RUMSFELD NOT WELCOME IN GERMANY?….This is fascinating: via Volokh, I see that Donald Rumsfeld has officially canceled a trip to the Munich Security Conference. Doug Feith will be going in his place.
The New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights filed a complaint in December with the Federal German Prosecutor’s Office against Rumsfeld accusing him of war crimes and torture in connection with detainee abuses at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison.
Rumsfeld had made it known immediately after the complaint was filed that he would not attend the Munich conference unless Germany quashed the legal action.
The presumption here is that Rumsfeld is afraid of being arrested, although that’s not entirely clear. German prosecutors are still examining the CCR complaint and haven’t even decided to mount an investigation yet, let alone arrest anyone. Rumsfeld’s nonattendance seems more likely to be motivated by a desire to pressure the German government than by an actual fear of arrest.
Still, who knows? I doubt this will go anywhere ? at least, I hope it doesn’t go anywhere, no matter how much I dislike Rumsfeld ? but it’s at least worth a post. I’m surprised it hasn’t gotten any attention before.
