African leaders support al Bashir

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir is, I am sure, not a nice person and I am also quite sure that the accusations levied at him by the ICC are based on fact. Nevertheless, there are two things which have to be pointed out here. Firstly, "Uncle Sam's" double standards and machavellien "Realpolitik" are so obviously behind the ICC's indictment that the Hague's jurisdiction, which Washington doesn't recognise when it comes to Americans, is completely undermined. Secondly, the fact that Africa's leaders have united to defend the Sudanese president, denounced the ICC, and refused to extradite him, is indicative not only of those leaders recognising this hypocrisy but also of the fact that they, with very good reason, are more than a trifle concerned that, should the International Criminal Court, get their hands on al Bashir, their day in court might not be too far away. Yes, by all means indicte the Sudanese president but it is time for the ICC to extend its jurisdiction to include Washington and time for half of the world's leaders and ex-leaders, including George W Bush, Tony Blair, Barack Obama and Gordon Brown, to follow Omar al-Bashir to the Hague. Until that happens any trip by the Sudanese president to the Hague will only signal that "Uncle Sam" has moved a step closer to achieving those geopolitical goals that make a mockery of the human rights that Washington pretends to support.