A new Nuremberg is needed for Iraq crimes

As the crimes committed in Iraq are made public and documented, it is imperative to set up a new special court on the Nuremberg model to confront those responsible for crimes against humanity

The US official reaction to the WikiLeaks' publication of classified military documents on the war on Iraq was limited to one point: the likely implications for the security of American troops in Iraq, wrote Areeb al Rantawi in a commentary for the Jordanian newspaper Addustoor.
The Americans showed no regret for the tens of thousand of Iraqis who were killed at checkpoints, who died under the shells of drones or were mutilated by militia groups with the consent of the US army.
Now we know that the number of Iraqi victims is much higher than previous official announcements. We know also that the head of the government, Nouri al Maliki, used to have his own militias, which he directed from his office. Through them, he undertook a broad political sectarian cleansing by abducting his opponents among Sunnis and chasing away army officers who were not from his sect.
Ironically, although the US, as the documents show, has been involved in war crimes in Iraq, it still speaks of the "emerging democracy" in Iraq, qualifying it as a landmark achievement on the path of democratisation and promotion of human rights culture in this country.
As the crimes committed in Iraq were made public and documented, it is imperative to set up a new special court on the Nuremberg model to confront those responsible for crimes against humanity in Iraq.
Ahmadinejad strives to enhance his self-image
The Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has launched a  self-promotion campaign ahead of the implementation of the decision to lift subsidies on basic commodities, commented Abdul Rahman al Rashed in an opinion piece for the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al Awsat.
Mr Ahmadinejad claims he is poor man: his salary is $250 (AED 918) a month, and his car is a 1977 Peugeot 504. He also says that he owns a a modest house in a poor neighbourhood, where he continued to live even after he was elected as mayor of Tehran.
He may be right, although his claims can be questioned. Mr Ahmadinejad is reminiscent of other leaders who pretended to be poor to identify with common people. The Chinese leader Mao Zedong, for example, prosecuted many on grounds they were bourgeois and confiscated their properties. But later it appeared that he used to reside in extravagant palaces. The same is true for the Kremlin leaders during the communist era.
Generally, rebels and revolution leaders are always keen to portray themselves as sharing the common people's concerns as a way to win their sympathy. That Mr Ahmadinejad resorts to the same strategy is not likely to earn him much fame or compensate for his failure in managing the affairs of the state.
 Obama and Netanyahu sing the same tune
As President Barack Obama reaches his mid-term, many have judged the period that elapsed as heavily marked by Israeli manoeuvres, which were accompanied by unfulfilled US promises, said the newspaper Al Bayan in its lead article.
"The Palestinian issue is a good example where Israel and its strong ally, the US, manipulate facts with words to change reality on the ground."
When Mr Obama advocated a two-state solution and the need to stop settlement activities, it revived hopes that Washington could act a  reliable broker in the Arab-Israeli conflict. But the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was intransigent  in his policies that were counterproductive to the peace process.
Many analysts blame the US for being less engaged in the peace process, as its record during the last two years has been less than satisfactory. The American role has thus turned less impartial and less effective, too.
As the mid-term congressional election approaches, which might empower the Republicans, Mr Obama's administration might end up being a lame duck.
If that happens, the whole peace process  will remain in limbo, and the region will have to  sustain further repercussions.
 Jordan to examine past losses of citizenship
In a news report, the London-based newspaper Al Quds al Arabi wrote that the Jordanian authorities were considering a comprehensive solution to complaints filed by Jordanian nationals of Palestinian origin in response to increasing reports from international bodies which have criticised previous decisions of the government to revoke citizenship documents.
Jordanian official sources told the paper that the government was examining an integrated plan as part of the so-called application of the Disengagement Act from the West Bank issued on July 1988 by King Hussein, which stipulated the severance of all administrative and legal ties with the occupied West Bank. The authorities also would like to address calls for withdrawing civil registration records of Palestinians from Jerusalem, who lost their Israeli citizenship and currently hold Jordanian.
As complaints continue, many observers expect that Jordanian authorities will lay down a plan based on clear and specific legal grounds, not only for reviewing past decisions but also for looking into the circumstances that led to withdrawing national civil registration.
* Digest compiled by Mostapha El Mouloudi
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