The Lagos Guardian reports that the Nigerian government has preferred charges against former US vice president Richard Bruce Cheney (they always give the full names of criminals) in connection with an investigation of Halliburton on bribery charges when he was CEO of the company (1995-2000).
Given that the wikileaks cables show that both the Bush and Obama administrations have exerted enormous pressure on, e.g., the Spanish judiciary to prevent high US politicians from being indicted for war crimes and other high crimes, that Nigeria is moving forward with this prosecution is symbolically important. (It is not as if Cheney can actually be extradited to Nigeria). So far Bush and Cheney, who are guilty of a long list of crimes against international and US domestic law, have had impunity from even so much as firm condemnation by any international body. It is not impossible that a corruption charge against Cheney could chip a chink in that so far impenetrable armor. At least their reputations should be tarnished!
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If the US government refuses to extradite or prosecute Cheney within the US on these corruption charges which are totally unrelated to his previous office, then the US can never again accuse any foreigner of corruption with being demonstrated to be a rabid bunch of hypocrites (that most non-Americans already know they are). Karzai’s cronies in the Afghan government are probably pissing themselves laughing at this very moment!
“At least their reputations should be tarnished!”
Reputation? Yes as war criminals …. Of course the lefty Obama and his administration will fight tooth and nail and teach Nigeria a lesson for charging Cheney,
“(they always give the full names of criminals)”
Now let’s be fair, Professor. They always give the full names of accused criminals.