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Europe
Villepin: Fight against terrorism must be legal
2006-06-17
The fight against terrorism must observe the rule of law, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin who is a man said in a thinly-veiled criticism of the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. 'In order for the fight against terrorism to be as effective as possible we have to act while respecting our values and our rules,' de Villepin said during a speech at the Institute of Higher Studies of National Defence.

'Let us avoid zones where there are no rights, let us reject anything that can give rise to arbitrariness, whether this means military interventions without the international community's authorisation, exceptional tribunals, or detention centres outside the framework of international law,' he said. 'The greatest determination in the face of terrorism, yes, but always while respecting the rule of law.'

The US military is holding 460 foreigners at the Guantanamo prison, many of whom were captured in Afghanistan in the war to oust the Taliban and Al Qaeda after the Sept 11 attacks.
Posted by:ryuge

#14  I agree completely. After all, the terrorists never do anything illegal to further their aims. We should do likewise.

BTW, Dominique, nice hair gel! I'd have killed for curls like that back in the 80's.
Posted by: Desert Blondie   2006-06-17 22:45  

#13  Don't exactly write tiny in the corners does he?
Posted by: 6   2006-06-17 18:44  

#12  A bold printed demarche threatening a warrant aughta do it. Sniff
Posted by: Inspector Clueso   2006-06-17 15:40  

#11  his main qualification for PM is he won't arrest Chirac.

Al
Posted by: Frozen Al   2006-06-17 15:23  

#10  ...Loking at the pic of his signature, I grieve for the country that produced Lafayette, the Old Guard, and the Foreign legion.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2006-06-17 12:09  

#9  I realize that no serious discussion is possible with any "man" with a signature like this.

But these comments are really, really out there, even for a despotic French tranzi. Since when is man-made law fixed and immutable? He suggests that society exists to serve the law, when the point of law is to serve society. We can't ignore the laws of physics -- which often work to terrorists' advantage -- but we can sure as hell ignore laws that require us to commit suicide.

Particularly where the "laws" he refers to are the nonbinding wishes of a body with no enforcement authority, rather than, oh, say, treaties ratified with the advice & consent of the US Senate.

I don't expect M. de Villepin to see this -- his "logic" just struck me as especially bizarre.
Posted by: Omereque Whinetch9110   2006-06-17 11:27  

#8  Damn right Dominique (not a girl)! We need some new laws. Let me offer one. "Terrorists, and anybody who aids & abets then --- by word or deed, are enemies general of the humankind---to be dealt with as wolves are."
Posted by: gromgoru   2006-06-17 11:03  

#7  Yeah. Hit 'em with your pretty sash, Mary! That'll show 'em!
Posted by: tu3031   2006-06-17 10:43  

#6  Villechimp is playing the Gitmo card in his struggle for Chirac's spot. Meanwhile, doesn't France have its own problems to sort out?
Posted by: Captain America   2006-06-17 10:11  

#5  It must be tiring to posture constantly.

It's his viagra.
Posted by: lotp   2006-06-17 09:56  

#4  Why does he care enough to open his mouth? I think everything he says requires a "Follow the money" traceback.
I wonder what his fee schedule is for bullshit.
Maybe I could pay him to trash somebody.

Posted by: 3dc   2006-06-17 09:50  

#3  Drop 'em at the Champs-Elysees.
Posted by: Perfessor   2006-06-17 09:22  

#2  Considering a EU commission reviewed the conditions at Gitmo and found them superior to what France had to offer its own citizens, Vill must be working his material for a new comedy routine.
Posted by: Hupitle Phereger1161   2006-06-17 09:20  

#1  LOL. Coming from France, which does whatever the hell it pleases, this means precisely nothing.
It must be tiring to posture constantly.
Posted by: Unolutle Jinelet7792   2006-06-17 07:25  

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