US says Iraq hostilities not covered by Olympic truce

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States said that its military operations in Iraq are not covered by the so-called Olympic truce that it signed on to last year at the United Nations.

On the eve of the opening of the 2004 Olympics in Athens, the State Department said US soldiers now fighting in Iraq would not be bound by the terms of the truce that calls for all nations in conflict to observe a traditional ceasefire during the Games.

"I reject the notion that somehow we are violating any Olympic principles by what's going on in Iraq," deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said. "I don't think there's a connection between the truce and what's going on in Iraq."

On November 3, 2003, the United States was among 190 of 191 UN General Assembly members to co-sponsor and adopt a Greek-submitted resolution entitled "Building a Peaceful and Better World Through Sport and the Olympic Ideals," the key component of which was the truce.

The resolution "urges the member states to observe, within the framework of the Charter of the United Nations, the Olympic Truce, individually and collectively, during the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad to be held in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004."

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040812/pl_afp/oly_2004_usa_iraq_truce&cid=1521&ncid=1480

[BayouBengal07]

1. Could he explain

How that DOESN'T violate the treaty?

[w13rd0]

6. Bush says so...

...thus god spoketh to him, and he sayeth 'war be very very good to me', and the corpowhore media proclaimeth that it was good and right, and everyone went dancing, except the dead iraqis and us soldiers, who weren't violating any damned treaty, so stop sayething that...

[rabbit2484]

28. What great examples for the youth of America

I remember in the state of the union, they told athletes not to use banned or illegal substances and be good role models. But just like the athletes, they don't listen and rules don't apply to them.

[demon67]

8. Has Kerry yet spoken to this issue?

Curious whether he will again give * cover.

[jimshoes]

2. Karma is gonna bite us in the ass

really hard one day.

[jpgray]

3. Do they *want* the rest of the world to rag on our athletes?

If they believed they would get some political gain out of it, I have no doubt they would try to encourage it.

[iamjoy]

4. WTF?!

Why did we sign it in the first place if we didn't intend to honor it? Why didn't we just say, "no - we're fighting a different enemy than has ever before existed and we will not compromise our security." It would have been crappy, but better than signing it and the first opportunity to observe it say, "Oh this doesn't apply"

and they accuse Kerry of being overly nuanced

[Cronus Protagonist]

22. Here's a graphic example... (pic)

[4_Legs_Good]

5. The world needs to understand that international agreements,

whether signed by us or not, DO NOT APPLY TO THE US! What it means it that OTHER NATIONS cannot do these things.

We can do whatever we damned well please.

david

[UpInArms]

7. exactly right dnvechoes!

"We" are exempt because our "GAWD" is better than everyone elses.

:nuke:

[Jacobin]

21. Thank you for explaining that. Because LordGodBush the Almighty

says we can torture, rape, pillage, steal oil and break treaties, that means that its ok.

[Charlie Brown]

9. So much for our international credibility

I guess we know now what any treaty endorsed by Bu(ll)sh(it)is worth.

[farmbo]

10. Stop the presses: Bush backs out of another international obligation

What else is new?
:mad:

[prolesunited]

11. Oh no!

We're in violation of a UN treaty. Does that give France the authority to invade us?

[Bluebear]

13. Silly, God told Chimpy it's OK

We are exempt, God told chimpy the US is the One World Power.

[Tight_rope]

12. Well...we all know that Bush is above all laws...especially the ones he

makes.

[ksatriyakiller]

14. when can i start making my own threads????

when can i start making my own threads????

[mike1963]

16. soon, grasshopper. Read, learn and have patience.

Welcome to DU...it won't be long. :D

[Tight_rope]

24. Welcome to DU Grasshopper...You should be able to after 50 post!

[sweetheart]

26. welcome to DU ksatriyakiller

Mehopes you are the sort of kshakrtya like Rama and Krishna. It is
good to have such a warrior of light on DU.

Namaste,

[tedzbear]

15. I can't wait to see what the world's athletes are going to do over this...

...I'm sure there will be many raised fists and peace signs while accepting medals, not to mention anti USA signs and statements. Maybe even a boycott!

:kick:

[mike1963]

17. Woah, I never even thought about that.......wouldn't that be a kick in the

ass...

:eyes:

[SPQR]

20. If it does happen

don't expect to see any of it on NBC.

Lord, is the signature of the US good on anything anymore?

[mediaman007]

18. We live in the Twilight Zone...

Can we wake up after the election and find out that its still 2000 and Bush* really got his ass kicked?

[daleo]

19. Incredible, just incredible

There is just no end to the twisting of the truth for these guys. Under the circumstances, perhaps the U.S. should have been banned from the Olympic Games anyway - they were supposed to be dedicated to bringing about a more peaceful world through the common understanding of sportsmanship, or something like that.

[Bluebear]

23. FLIP FLOP! US signed onto this only last year?

[SpiralHawk]

25. George AWOL Bush and BushCo are lacking in honor

As they have demonstrated time and time again. This is just one more example -- violating a tradition that stood in the ancient world for many thousands of years, and that they 9BushCo) explicitly agreed to last year. Flip flop indeed.

[mike_c]

27. treaties and truces mean nothing to the almighty United States....

Ask the natives.