Should we Continue to Prosecute Nazi War Criminals?

[Divair]

Because they were only found recently? We've been over this, seriously.

Ummmmm, and who exactly is it that was found recently who was definitely connected to Nazi schemes? Almost all of these people are either dead, have already been prosecuted, haven't been found, or were never in hiding.

We're not talking about any specific case, but they do come up occasionally. Less often as time goes by because they're dying off, but there are still a lot of people alive from WW2.

[Mizrad]

I'm pretty sure one of the few things almost everybody on this earth can agree on is that Nazi war criminals all deserve to die.

No, actually, that's not true at all.

Maybe not die but at least be imprisoned. I doubt that the majority of people out there from after Hitler put a bullet in his brain to 2000 [Because now most of these criminals aren't even alive anymore and the poll itself shows it's not as big a concern anymore] believed we should let them go free.

[Divair]

No, actually, that's not true at all.

Maybe not die but at least be imprisoned. I doubt that the majority of people out there from after Hitler put a bullet in his brain to 2000 [Because now most of these criminals aren't even alive anymore and the poll itself shows it's not as big a concern anymore] believed we should let them go free.

House arrest will do fine.

[Mizrad]

Maybe not die but at least be imprisoned. I doubt that the majority of people out there from after Hitler put a bullet in his brain to 2000 [Because now most of these criminals aren't even alive anymore and the poll itself shows it's not as big a concern anymore] believed we should let them go free.

House arrest will do fine.

That's still some form of imprisonment though.

[Divair]

House arrest will do fine.

That's still some form of imprisonment though.

Yes.

[New Colorado Republic]

Yes. Unless, while I wasn't looking, it became normal for awful criminals to get off easy for their crimes.

[Mizrad]

That's still some form of imprisonment though.

Yes.

I think this is the first time I've come to an agreement on something in a thread like this without somebody getting others angry. Thank you .

[The Emerald Legion]

Yes.

I think this is the first time I've come to an agreement on something in a thread like this without somebody getting others angry. Thank you .

Mostly because the people who disagree got tired of arguing with the debating equivalent of a brick wall. And my faith in humanity generally wanes dangerously when I see people hitting the same acceptable targets just to win points.

[Nazi Flower Power]

Yes. Especially the ones whose war crimes are happening right now.

They are not Nazi.

[Vitaphone Racing]

I think this is the first time I've come to an agreement on something in a thread like this without somebody getting others angry. Thank you .

Mostly because the people who disagree got tired of arguing with the debating equivalent of a brick wall. And my faith in humanity generally wanes dangerously when I see people hitting the same acceptable targets just to win points.

Ohhh, so that's why you only responded to points you knew how to answer.

[Nazi Flower Power]

So, theoretically speaking, you're saying that we should hunt down and arrest anyone who performs an execution that later becomes politically unpopular.

Because this was not just a band of maniacs. It was a band of maniacs who ran the, at least for the time, legitimate government of the country. You might as well demand we hunt down the American officers who organized the Japanese internment camps in the same war.

Was the holocaust terrible? Yes. It sucked. But it's over the ones who've organized it are long dead. There's no point in wasting time, nor resources in tracking down the unfortunate grunts who were pressured into helping make the Nazi leaderships bloody dreams a reality.

There's no justice in the act. Just bloody minded vengeance.

Again, this assumes we're chasing the Nazis just because of what the Nazis did or that certain complicit individuals are excused on "following orders".
Or that rewriting the law to install yourself as supreme ruler of a country somehow makes you "legitimate".
In which case, surely, there can be no illegitimate government, so long as it officially states it is not.

That we can't instil the "we will never stop coming for you" mentality in present and future war criminals isn't a useful goal, to you.

To effectively instill that message, we'd have to continue pursuing and prosecuting war criminals from every conflict, not only Nazis. This would require substantial resources, and you'd be stepping on a lot of toes when you encounter national governments that are less repentant than Germany. At some point it is not worth the trouble. Given that we don't have infinite resources to put into chasing down war criminals, there has to be some prioritizing, and the remaining Nazis are all low enough in the Nazi hierarchy that they should not get a high priority. There are worse war criminals from other conflicts that are still on the loose. Going after the few remaining Nazis really doesn't send any universal message about war crimes or crimes against humanity. It sends a message that the West is still fixated on the Holocaust.

[The Emerald Legion]

Mostly because the people who disagree got tired of arguing with the debating equivalent of a brick wall. And my faith in humanity generally wanes dangerously when I see people hitting the same acceptable targets just to win points.

Ohhh, so that's why you only responded to points you knew how to answer.

Call it what you want, bringing irrelevant issues into the discussion doesn't make an argument.

There is no logical reason for specifically targeting Nazi remnants.

[Nazi Flower Power]

We're not talking about all Nazis, we're talking about people who actively participated in the exterminations. Perhaps that's where you've mistaken the discussion.

Even them, what were they supposed to do? Say no and join the exterminated themselves? The real monsters are likely gone.

To be fair, people who balked at participating directly in the "final solution" were usually transferred to other jobs rather than killed. They would still work in the camps or serve in the military in some capacity, but people could get out of murdering anyone with their own hands.

Some people may have been afraid to try it, though. It takes a certain amount of courage to speak up and protest an order, and there's no way to be sure how your commanding officer will react.

[TheWalkingGhost]

No. Time to move on, most are old and frail anyway with only a few years left. Focus on modern problems and not some witch hunt.

[Wisconsin9]

No. Time to move on, most are old and frail anyway with only a few years left. Focus on modern problems and not some witch hunt.

The phrase "witch hunt" implies that the person punished is innocent of the crime they're being accused of.

[The Emerald Legion]

No. Time to move on, most are old and frail anyway with only a few years left. Focus on modern problems and not some witch hunt.

The phrase "witch hunt" implies that the person punished is innocent of the crime they're being accused of.

Not necessarily. Merely that the hunt itself is irrationally motivated.

[Mike the Progressive]

No. Time to move on, most are old and frail anyway with only a few years left. Focus on modern problems and not some witch hunt.

Exactly and everybody knows that if you conspire to commit genocide, but you make it to the point where you can get a discount at Old Country Buffet, by Jove, you should be cleared of all wrongdoing!

[Neutraligon]

Again, this assumes we're chasing the Nazis just because of what the Nazis did or that certain complicit individuals are excused on "following orders".
Or that rewriting the law to install yourself as supreme ruler of a country somehow makes you "legitimate".
In which case, surely, there can be no illegitimate government, so long as it officially states it is not.

That we can't instil the "we will never stop coming for you" mentality in present and future war criminals isn't a useful goal, to you.

To effectively instill that message, we'd have to continue pursuing and prosecuting war criminals from every conflict, not only Nazis. This would require substantial resources, and you'd be stepping on a lot of toes when you encounter national governments that are less repentant than Germany. At some point it is not worth the trouble. Given that we don't have infinite resources to put into chasing down war criminals, there has to be some prioritizing, and the remaining Nazis are all low enough in the Nazi hierarchy that they should not get a high priority. There are worse war criminals from other conflicts that are still on the loose. Going after the few remaining Nazis really doesn't send any universal message about war crimes or crimes against humanity. It sends a message that the West is still fixated on the Holocaust.

I would assume that this isn't so much chasing down as prosecuting when found. That is they aren't actively chasing people down, but if something comes up, they then prosecute.

[Wisconsin9]

The phrase "witch hunt" implies that the person punished is innocent of the crime they're being accused of.

Not necessarily. Merely that the hunt itself is irrationally motivated.

I don't see anything irrational in putting some of the worst criminals in history on trial.

[Roski]

The Nazi Third Reich is one of the most notorious groups in history. I don't give two shits if they are the oldest person alive, EXECUTE THEM.

Nazi's should only be the start. Any intentional act of Genocide or Multiple Homicide should be met with a quick, sharp, shot to the brain.

[Mike the Progressive]

The Nazi Third Reich is one of the most notorious groups in history. I don't give two shits if they are the oldest person alive, EXECUTE THEM.

Nazi's should only be the start. Any intentional act of Genocide or Multiple Homicide should be met with a quick, sharp, shot to the brain.

Retribution is desired. Not revenge. They should be prosecuted and imprisoned. But not tortured and not killed. Above, not equal to, that monstrosity.

[TheWalkingGhost]

The phrase "witch hunt" implies that the person punished is innocent of the crime they're being accused of.

Not necessarily. Merely that the hunt itself is irrationally motivated.

Yep. Or just hunting and harassing people with unpopular opinions. We have more important things to do that find elderly war criminals.

[The greater holy roman empire]

The average life span is 78 years. If they are in their 90`s, by the time a trial starts, heck, the guy might be dead by then!

[Lunatic Goofballs]

The Nazi Third Reich is one of the most notorious groups in history. I don't give two shits if they are the oldest person alive, EXECUTE THEM.

Nazi's should only be the start. Any intentional act of Genocide or Multiple Homicide should be met with a quick, sharp, shot to the brain.

Retribution is desired. Not revenge. They should be prosecuted and imprisoned. But not tortured and not killed. Above, not equal to, that monstrosity.

We should kick them in the balls and then go, "Roadhouse!"

[Mike the Progressive]

Not necessarily. Merely that the hunt itself is irrationally motivated.

Yep. Or just hunting and harassing people with unpopular opinions. We have more important things to do that find elderly war criminals.

Unpopular opinions? You do realize it was the Nazis who harassed unpopular peoples and their opinions first, right? Not just harass but imprisoned, tortured, murdered?