NO GENOCIDE IN MY NAME
President Donald J. Trump announced to the world his intent to commit genocide in Iran: "A whole civilization will die tonight [April 7, 2026], never to be brought back again." Trump threatens to bomb civilian targets including power plants and bridges. This is a clear violation of international law. Indeed, stating his intent to commit genocide is itself a war crime.
Though Pakistan (supported by China) secured a cease fire for two weeks, Trump's threat remains. Admittedly, he is fast and loose with his pronouncements. That doesn't erase them.
The Genocide Convention, to which the United States is a signatory, states clearly: ". . . genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which [contracting parties] undertake to prevent and to punish." Article I.
". . . genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, i whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: (a) Killing members of the group; (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part. . . . Article II.
"The following acts shall be punishable: (a) Genocide; (b) Conspiracy to commit genocide; (c) Direct and public incitement to commit genocide; (d) Attempt to commit genocide; (e) Complicity in genocide." Article III
"Persons committing genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in article III shall be punished, whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals." Article IV
Assuredly, Trump believes he will never face justice for ordering the destruction of a country and its people. Still, for many people throughout the world he will die in infamy. No bronze statue. No peace prize. No carved head on Mt. Rushmore. He will go down in history with other leaders responsible (not all convicted) for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity: Pol Pot, Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Augusto Pinochet, Josef Stalin, Slobodan Milosevic. . . .