Court Confusion

The Blotter

Though he is now the former Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld is expected to be accused of war crimes in a lawsuit to be filed next week in Germany. The Center for Constitutional Rights will file the suit on behalf of a group of Iraqi detainees as well as the so-called 20th hijacker, who is currently being held at Guantanamo Bay.

Ok, I understand that lawsuits will be filed and dismissed, investigations will open and drag on for absolutely un-riveting weeks and weeks, fingers will point, and heads will roll. That's just the American Way. But ya gotta wonder about this one.

The suit is being brought in Germany because a "universal jurisdiction" law there allows German courts to claim jurisdiction over war crimes even if they were committed outside that country's borders. CCR filed a similar lawsuit in Germany two years ago. That suit charged that Rumsfeld, former CIA Director George Tenet and other senior officials were responsible for the torturing of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison. The suit was dismissed, however, because German prosecutors said the case had no connection to German citizens nor to events that took place in Germany.

K, let me make sure I have this right. Iraqi prisoners. Americans accused. Iraqi prison. American accusers. Wonder how far this lawsuit will get?