Summer II/2013 Final Paper Sue Roh Not too long ago, I heard that Cornell West had called President Obama a "war criminal", to be exact, he stated, "We've been talking about this for a good while, the immorality of drones, dropping bombs on innocent people, it's been over 200 children so far. These are war crimes ... I think we have to be very honest, let us not be deceived - Nixon, Bush, Obama, they're war criminals ... They have killed innocent people in the name of the struggle for freedom, but they're suspending the law, very much like Wall Street criminals. The law is suspended for them, but the law applies for the rest of us," (Tavis Smiley Show, Feb 14, 2013). I remember at first being taken aback; I had an admiration for Dr. West, who I felt was one of the most prolific and genuine modern day social philosophers within my time. I felt torn; although I was disappointed in Barack Obama, as our nation's leader, I admired the man for his progressive views and modern inclusive vibes. I blamed the Republicans for their bullish behavior leading to the circumvention of policy changes that resembled anything close to addressing pressing issues on both the national and global fronts. So then to be compelled to consider any slanderous remarks questioning the character of our new, youthful, ethnically diverse leader lead to a long examination of an individual I, and many others had placed on a pedestal, especially in the realm of human rights. Nobel Peace Prize, anyone? War crimes, whether they are rooted in intra-racial or inter-racial conflicts, have become exclusively connected to acts of racism. But Obama a racist? And for a black civil rights activist and Professor of Philosophy (political and religious), Ethics and Race to place President Obama on the same tier as Hitler, Milosevic or Taylor, seemed to be far reaching ... uncomfortable. This paper looks to examine the Obama administration's approach to the ongoing "War on Terror", contextual considerations, and possible race theory manifestations, particularly from Mills' (1997) "Racial Contract", our reading throughout this semester. 1
Sue Roh Summer II/2013 Final Paper What are war crimes? International humanitarian law/IHL- body of international laws, mainly derived through the Geneva and Hague Conventions; a combination of legal obligations for States engaged in conflict/hostilities, as well as defined humanitarian principles that must be respected by all parties. Prior to the first signing of the Geneva Convention in 1864, rules of war depended on custom and tradition not set in stone. IHL continues to be an evolving body of law, it's core standards remain at: · Soldiers who surrender or who are hors de combat are entitled to respect for their lives and their moral and physical integrity. . The wounded and sick must be collected and cared for by the party to the conflict which has them in its power. The emblem of the red cross, red crescent or red crystal is the sign of such