News you won't see much about in our media ...

Our Canadian neighbors take international law (and morality) rather more seriously than we do. Hence, when former President George W. Bush hied himself to the Vancouver area the other day, human rights groups

... are initiating a private prosecution, by four Guantánamo prisoners, accusing Bush of torture. In addition, campaigners on the ground are planning a huge protest.

Amnesty International got the ball rolling last week, calling for Bush’s arrest for war crimes and torture. In a press release, Susan Lee, Americas Director at Amnesty International, explained, “Canada is required by its international obligations to arrest and prosecute former President Bush given his responsibility for crimes under international law including torture. As the US authorities have, so far, failed to bring former President Bush to justice, the international community must step in. A failure by Canada to take action during his visit would violate the UN Convention against Torture and demonstrate contempt for fundamental human rights.”

No government action this time, but Bush better watch where he goes. Meanwhile, the former President was greeted by hundreds of protesters.

H/t Andy Worthington.***
Then there are those unpiloted drone aircraft the current administration is so fond of. Poof -- we can magically blow away people anywhere in the world ... whoever they are.

You might have heard we just killed, without any legal process whatsoever, Anwar Al-Awalaki's sixteen year old son who apparently happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was a U.S. citizen, so a few people have qualms. Perhaps having the wrong parents is not a capital crime?

But had you heard that Nevada-based drone controllers fired a missile at and killed a Marine and a Navy medic last April in Afghanistan? That "friendly fire" incident hasn't gotten much play.

Oh, but we can have a tidy little remote war ... at least until some other country or, more likely, some private group with a grievance starts shooting drones at us. It's not like these are technological marvels that no one else can replicate. War by video game ahead ...