Don’t elect Greenwood, warmongering lawyer

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Warning - don’t elect Greenwood


The British Government’s commendation of Professor Christopher Greenwood for election as a Judge to the International Court of Justice is in every respect a disgraceful misrepresentation of his qualifications for the job. We recommend that under no circumstances should he be elected to the International Court of Justice, but instead arrangements should be made with the International Criminal Court in The Hague to arrest and indict him and other members of the UK Government on charges of conduct ancillary to the genocide of the Iraqi people.

Professor Greenwood is the legal architect of the UK Government’s false assertion that the armed attack on Iraq in 2003 would be legal. He provided the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, the Prime Minister Tony Blair and Parliament with the false and untenable legal argument that the war with Iraq was justified on the grounds that the United Nations Security Council had authorised the use of force. As you know the Security Council did not authorise the use of force and had rejected the infamous ‘second resolution’ put forward by the USA and Britain.

As a result of Professor Greenwood’s false legal advice and the Prime Minister’s false assertions of legality, Britain joined America in the unlawful armed invasion and occupation of the sovereign State of Iraq. Using indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction Coalition forces attacked villages, towns and cities in Iraq killing tens of thousands of totally innocent Iraqis, destroying Iraq’s infrastructure and dismantling a viable nation state. Not one of the victims had done anything to harm Britain or America, was given a chance to represent themselves in court or was shown any mercy before they were violently massacred by order of the British and American Governments on the basis of false legal advice. This is undoubtedly the worst atrocity in the history of the United Nations.

By destroying 1 million people including 300,000 children, injuring two million and driving 3.5 million into exile and destitution, members of Coalition Governments, at the behest of Britain and America, have not only acted unlawfully but they have committed the worst crimes known to mankind, genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and a crime against peace. Professor Greenwood as an architect of this atrocity should be one of the first to be held to account in the International Criminal Court for complicity in these crimes.

That the General Assembly should consider an architect of this atrocity for election to the International Court of Justice is a disgrace. Electing a war criminal to this post will give a terminal blow to the UN’s reputation for justice and the rule of law.


Chris Coverdale London September 2008

for Members of the Campaign to Make Wars History and the Stop the War Coalition.

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URGENT Action Required

Dear Sir/Madam

I am hoping that this message addresses one of your particular concerns. I also have to ask you, amongst all the urgent business of your day, if possible to respond to this without delay. This matter relates to the election by the UN General Assembly on 5th November of Judges sitting at the International Court. The UK Government is proposing Professor Christopher Greenwood CMG QC for one of these posts.


Below is our letter opposing this UK initiative. The following letter will be emailed to all the 192 Heads of Mission (reachable by email) at the UN regarding this sensitive appointment. Please let us know as soon as possible if you feel it appropriate to add your name to the signatories to the letter. (For those who want to add their names as signatories, any additional information, including professional qualifications, honours etc that might be helpful to the UN Missions that will receive the letter, would be very welcome.)


Thank you for your attention

Chris Coverdale


Make Wars History Campaign







United Nations
360 Lexington Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10017


Dear Sirs

Proposed UK candidate for International Court of Justice

The British Government’s commendation of Professor Christopher Greenwood for election as a Judge to the International Court of Justice is in every respect a disgraceful misrepresentation of his qualifications for the job.

Professor Greenwood is the legal architect of the UK Government’s false assertion that the armed attack on Iraq in 2003 would be legal. He provided the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, the Prime Minister Tony Blair and Parliament with the false and untenable legal argument that the war with Iraq was justified on the grounds that the United Nations Security Council had authorised the use of force. It is clear now - as it was then - that the Security Council did not authorise the use of force and had rejected the infamous ‘second resolution’ put forward by the USA and Britain.

As a result of Professor Greenwood’s legal advice and the Prime Minister’s assertions of legality, Britain joined the United States in the unlawful armed invasion and occupation of the sovereign State of Iraq. Using indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction, Coalition Forces attacked villages, towns and cities in Iraq killing tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis, destroying Iraq’s infrastructure and dismantling a nation state. The victims had not done anything to harm Britain or the USA, were not given a chance to represent themselves in court, nor shown any mercy before they were killed or injured by order of the British and US Governments on the basis of false legal advice. This is arguably the worst atrocity so far in the history of the United Nations.

By destroying a million people including 300,000 children, injuring two million and driving 3.5 million into exile and destitution, members of Coalition Governments, at the behest of Britain and the USA, have not only acted unlawfully but they have committed the worst crimes known to mankind: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and a crime against peace. Professor Greenwood, in his role as enabler of this atrocity, could be considered eligible as one of the first to be held to account in the International Criminal Court for complicity in these crimes.

That the General Assembly should consider an architect of this atrocity for election to the International Court of Justice is unwise. Electing a possible war criminal to this post would give a very negative message in respect of the United Nations reputation for justice and the rule of law.

Yours sincerely

[Note: this letter will be transmitted by email to all the 192 Heads of the Permanent Missions to the United Nations by the 1st November latest. The election is scheduled for the 5th November.]