Charles Taylor.

This is coolbert:

I see that Charles Taylor, the former dictator/warlord of Liberia, and the instigator of war in Sierra Leone, is now in custody in Nigeria. Was forced to leave Liberia as part of an accord bringing "peace" to that part of west Africa.

I use that word peace in a figurative sense.

The forces of Taylor used murder, rape, and mutilation as "methods" during their various campaigns. Taylor is wanted for crimes against humanity. Seventeen counts to be exact. Each count carrying the sentence of life in prison.

The taking into custody of Taylor is in line with similar arrests and trials of other "bad guys" of recent history. Such as Milosevic and Hussein.

IN the cases of the latter two, things [trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity] did not and have not gone as planned.

In the case of Milosevic, the former dictator of Yugoslavia was under arrest for five years and on trial FOR FOUR YEARS. For four years on trial without resolution to his case??!! How could this be??!! A trial takes THAT long??!! And Milosevic died a natural death and is now gone from the scene, without a verdict being reached. The point of a trial is now moot!!

As for Hussein, well, it seems that the man has TAKEN OVER THE TRIAL AND THE COURT!! Disrupts and makes a mockery of the proceedings. It SEEMS THE MAN IS STILL IN CHARGE AND CANNOT BE CONTROLLED!!??

This is not what the victorious parties at the end of World War Two [WW2] had in mind when the Nuremberg Trials were held. Bringing the Nazi war criminals to justice in a fair and equitable manner. And quick and speedy too. With swift and sure punishment. Hanging!! For the top Nazi war criminals, the whole trial and punishment took about two years max!! And that was that. And no one shed a tear. Rather the opposite, the general consensus was that justice was done.

It was felt at the time [circa 1947] that the Nuremberg Trials would serve as a model for future prosecutions of perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

This HAS NOT turned out to be the case!!

For some reason, there DOES seem to be a hesitancy to try bad guys of this world for their heinous actions. On occasion, what can only be described as desultory action is taken, but that is about all.

Why this is I am not entirely clear about!!??

And for the murder, rape, and mutilation of about 500,000 persons, what would be the maximum sentence Taylor could get?? Life and that is that!!?? Is that justice for crimes of such magnitude??

I think not!!

coolbert.