And When Will John Bolton Denounce Her?

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While Prime Minister Stephen Harper takes us further and further down the doobed-up half-pipe that is the Neocons' wetdream called 'Creative Destructionism', another Canadian is talking sense and trying to keep innocent people from getting killed.

And she is doing this by reminding killers of the innocent that they killers regardless which side they are on.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said international law stressed the need to protect civilians.

There is an obligation on all parties to respect the "principle of proportionality", she said.

About 300 Lebanese, most of them civilians, have been killed in the violence. Thirty Israelis, including 15 civilians, have also been killed.The UN reported on Wednesday that about 100 Palestinians, civilians and fighters, have been killed since the start of the Israeli offensive in Gaza in late June.

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"Indiscriminate shelling of cities constitutes a foreseeable and unacceptable targeting of civilians," Ms Arbour said.

"Similarly, the bombardment of sites with alleged military significance, but resulting invariably in the killing of innocent civilians, is unjustifiable."

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Ms Arbour expressed "grave concern over the continued killing and maiming of civilians in Lebanon, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory".

Without pointing to specific individuals, she suggested that leaders could bear personal responsibility.

"I do believe that on the basis of evidence that is available in the public domain there are very serious concerns that the level of civilian casualties, the indiscriminate shelling of cities and so on, on their face raise sufficient questions that I think one must issue a sobering signal to those who are behind these initiatives to examine very closely their personal exposure," she told the BBC.

And of course, because she is attempting to ensure that all of the perpetrators understand the consequences of their actions Ms. Arbour is now being smacked down - hard.

First here's the response from the Israeli ambassador to Canada, Alan Baker:

"I completely reject Louise Arbour's warning. Israel doesn't target civilian concentrations, and I think that by merely giving such a warning she's jumping to conclusions and as a judge she should know better," he says.

Which leaves us wondering which part of the phrase 'most of them civilians' Ms. Arbour got wrong when it comes to the 300 already dead in Lebanon?

Next up is the Montreal Gazette which had the following to say in an editorial under the title "Arbour Must Go":

The absurdity and counterproductive nature of current international law was proven once again by a bizarre statement on Wednesday by Louise Arbour, UN high commissioner for human rights and a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.


Of course, newspapers owned by the (not so) Magnificent Aspersons would never say anything absurd or counterproductive about things like, say, oh, I dunno, how about 'Iranian Badges'?

Speaking of which, here is Andrew Coyne who also convieniently ignores the business about the majority of the dead being civilians (talking point, anyone?) while at the same time trivializing the number 300 in the National Post:

...Remember that all of this was taking place before the death toll had mounted as "high" as it is now: about 300, military and civilian combined, on both sides. How "high" is that? Consider that in the Six Day War of 1967 the civilian death toll is estimated to have been about 50,000. You can look through all the bloody history of warfare and not find a conflict with fewer civilian casualties....

Well, at least Mr. Coyne did not say that death was life.

Of course, they only smear those that they fear most.

So, if this flurry of slime throwing has proves to be ineffective against Ms Arbour's call to account (for both sides!), how long will it be before the Rovians yank their new poodle's chain and tell Mr. Harper it's time to start gnawing on Ms. Arbour's ankles.

And if that doesn't work there is always the 'Master of Diplomatic Disaster', also known as the United States' Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton.

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