The Twinkie Defense

Reading SENSE updates, I've noticed that most of the defendants at the Hague, regardless of ethnicity, or the crimes they are accused of, use the same defense; the justification defense. Of course for many of these defendants, "justification" is just about the only defense they have going for them; and I'm certainly not denying anyone their full right to use any tactic they have to defend themselves.

However, my concern goes far beyond the courtroom. It seems as if the same theories of justification, and "understandable revenge" have played themselves out far too much amongst some people in their home countries.

Although, perhaps it is a sign of progress? After all, besides some lunatics at the extremes, we've moved passed the notion that no one from their ethnic group committed any war crimes. But that acknowledgment (however tepid) that war crimes did occur, and that certain individuals from their ethnic groups are responsible for said war crimes has been followed by a new form of denial, justification.

Apparently killing innocent people is deemed understandable by some, if you also have innocent people from your ethnic group killed as well.

I know I sound a bit like I'm lecturing, and I really don't mean to come across that way. I realize that as an outsider to this war, I'm limited in what I can understand and that all of the books, and talking to people who were directly effected by this war is in no way comparable to actually living through the horror.

But, if I didn't care about Bosnia and the people of the Balkans, I wouldn't have any need to write this post, or this blog, for that matter of fact. A war crime is a war crime regardless of how many people were killed. War crimes don't justify other war crimes. Not recognizing the war crimes committed by ones own group, and the victimhood of others, is just as bad as those who try t create a false sense of "moral equivalency" between the sides, and try to maintain the notion that all sides were equally guilty of atrocities during the war.

Perhaps we'd all be better off if some of the defendants at the Hague impose a new defense tactic, how about the Twinkie Defense? It worked for Dan White. ;-)