Sorry about that, Kevin—the explanation of events in the CNN article I linked to was, I admit, a little oblique. Here are some more explicit accounts….

From Jane’s:

As the US Congress-imposed 31 March deadline approached, it became obvious that Kostunica would stubbornly resist allowing Milosevic to be arrested under any charge. However, barely two weeks before the deadline Djindjic visited Washington – and decided to take action despite Kostunica’s opposition and obstruction.

At stake is $50 million in U.S. assistance that has not yet been disbursed. The Yugoslav government had sought to appease Washington partly by arresting Milosevic on domestic criminal charges—laying the groundwork for his eventual extradition to the tribunal, some officials said.

SESNO: As you know, and as we have reported, there was a deadline of sorts imposed by the United States of tomorrow to see some progress made toward bringing Mr. Milosevic to justice, that being tied to about $100 million of U.S. aid. How much did that influence the events of today?

KOVAC: Well, frankly we are completely aware of the realities of this world, and obviously no government can function in some vacuum; you have to understand that many things in this world are interconnected. But basically, I must emphasize this, basically he’s been arrested when we had sufficient evidence against him.

I never said any such thing. I did say that “waging aggressive war” is not a war crime, and that it is not normally considered in the same category as war crimes. If you can give a post-WWII example of a serious proposal to try anyone for “waging aggressive war”, I’d like to hear about it. (Proposals to deal with monstrous world leaders by trying them for war crimes or crimes against humanity, on the other hand, are legion these days.)

Life is too short to waste arguing with people who are determined never to admit error.

Nonsense—in fact, I’m finding it most invigorating.

After that I couldn’t be bothered with your other point, though Kevin has kindly picked it up.

Life is too short to waste arguing with people who are determined never to admit error.

He supports this with a link which tells us the U.S. was threatening to suspend aid, but: “The aid was not conditional on Milosevic’s arrest and there has been no official U.S. reaction to the arrest.”

I have no idea just what American diplomats were actually saying to the Serbs back then; but if I want to find out, I certainly won’t consult Dan Simon. A man should be able to read his own links.

(On the plus side, at least you’re no longer contesting my point that Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milosevic were both brought to justice thanks to the US, with no help from the UN.)

This is incorrect.

Count One: Conspiracy to Wage Aggressive War

This count helped address the crimes committed before the war began, showing a plan to commit crimes during the war.

Count Two: Waging Aggressive War, or “Crimes Against Peace”

Including “the planning, preparation, initiation, and waging of wars of aggression, which were also wars in violation of international treaties, agreements, and assurances.”

Count Three: War Crimes

These were the more “traditional” violations of the law of war including treatment of prisoners of war, slave labor, and use of outlaws weapons.

Count Four: Crimes Against Humanity

This count involved the actions in concentration camps and other death rampages.Needless to say, the focus of the trials was the latter two counts, not the first two. And “war crimes” are distinct from “crimes committed during the course of war” in that they refer to violations of the specific laws governing the conduct of war—regarding treatment of prisoners, for example, or use of weapons. “Conspiracy to wage aggressive war” obviously isn’t a war crime, or it wouldn’t have been listed as a separate charge from “war crimes”. Nor is it normally even considered in the same category—that’s why, for instance, there were no calls (outside Argentina) to bring the Argentine generals to justice after their defeat in the Falklands War.

But, hey—if you want to believe that the Nazis’ real crime was invading and occupying Poland….

Perhaps because it isn’t true. Milosevic was arrested by the Serbian government on a UN warrant.

Actually, no—he was arrested by the Serbian government on a Serbian warrant, in the hope that that would placate the US, which had threatened to withhold millions of dollars in aid unless Milosevic was turned over to the UN tribunal.

So, not even counting the enormous role the 1999 NATO (that is, overwhelmingly American) military campaign played in Milosevic’s military defeat and subsequent electoral defeat, even his actual arrest can be directly attributed to US pressure.

Frankly, John, I think it’s time to pack it in on this one….

“Conspiracy to wage aggressive war” was the main charge at the Nuremburg trials. It is the crime that makes war crimes a category distinct from “crimes committed in the course of war”

“was brought to justice thanks to the American military, and no thanks at all to the UN. Now there is a point routinely ignored on Crooked Timber.”

Perhaps because it isn’t true. Milosevic was arrested by the Serbian government on a UN warrant.

Of course. We kill out of love, and that makes all the difference.

…The numerous civilians killed by US interventions are just as dead as the ones killed by heads of state attempting to hold on to their countries. Why are the latter deaths war crimes but not the former?

“In March 2002, Milosevic presented the Hague tribunal with FBI documents proving that the United States government and NATO provided financial and military support for Al-Qaeda to aid the Kosovo Liberation Army in its war against Serbia.”