Military - new material (57)
01 March 2006
Von der Pflicht zum Frieden und der Freiheit zum Ungehorsam, 8, 1 EUR. This booklet explains the decision of the German Administrative Court from June 2005, which decided in favour of an army major who refused to follow orders related to the logistical or technical support of the Iraq war, on grounds of his conscientious objection to a war that was illegal under international law. This booklet represents an excellent handbook to all those that want to clarify their stand against the war in Iraq and who seek a clear explanation of the legal decision and its relevance to the anti-war movement and civil disobedience to war in general. It goes beyond legalistic reasoning, recognises the limits of constitutional defences and suggests more avenues of civil engagement and disobedience, which have to be applied when legal possibilities have been exhausted. It outlines the decision of the court, which sets down several principles, amongst others, that soldiers retain a civil status and basic and human rights are consequently directly applicable to them as persons, this implies they enjoy freedom of conscience and they can refuse orders under specific circumstances; the army institutions and representatives are ruled by the Basic Law in every respect and at any time; according to the Basic Law, the army may only be deployed for the purpose of self-defence; in its function as a UN partner, it may only be deployed if the conflict is sanctioned under international law; the army and the government have violated international law by granting its territory, its institutions and technical support for the Iraq war. Available as a pdf and print under http://www.grundrechtekomitee.de/ub_showarticle.php?articleID=186
Defence Against Terrorism, Herbert Daume. Europäische Sicherheit 3/2006 pp. 64-68. Detailed outline of the Program of Work for Defence Against Terrorism (DAT) of the Conference of National Arms Directors of NATO.
Consultation Paper on the Intra-Community Circulation of Products for the Defence of Member States. European Commission, Brussels, 21.3.06. The document proposes to facilitate the movement of military goods within the Community by phasing out the national export control regimes for weapons.
Iran's Nuclear Program, Karel Koster with Barbara Brubacher. IKV/Pax Christi. Background Paper March 2006.
Did American Marines Murder 23 Iraqi Civilians? Raymond Whittaker. Independent on Sunday 26.3.06, pp42-43. This article examines another US atrocity in Iraq. Last November US military sources claimed that 15 civilians had been killed in an insurgent roadside bomb attack in Haditha. When investigated it was revealed that the only victim of the remote control device was a combatant, a US Marine; the death of 15 civilians, including seven women and three children, who were murdered in their homes, and not in the roadside bomb as the US claimed, is blamed on the US by local residents. At an inquiry into the incident a US colonel concluded that the deaths were "collateral damage"; as a result of the slaughter the USA saysits troops will now undergo a course of "ethical training".