John Bolton to be arrested ... maybe

Here at Westmonster, we've got a lot of time for the citizen's arrest. Especially when we intertwine our own personal law-enforcing stance with Dirty-Harry-style tactics, thereby emptying the barrel of a Magnum into a group of chavs playing insipid R&B music via their mobile phones on the 55 bus.

Political writer George Monbiot has bigger fish to fry, however. He fully intends on attempting a citizen's arrest on John Bolton, one of the alleged figureheads behind the 'bogus claims' that led to the war with Iraq. George is a little miffed with Bolton's past, you see - namely that stuff about:

" ... destroying international law, successfully waging war against the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, the biological weapons protocol, a treaty on small arms and light weapons and, perhaps presciently, America’s participation in the International Criminal Court."

So. How is George going to carry out his dastardly plan? Hop onto a States-bound plane and work his scheme out from the airport? Not necessary. Bolton is soon to be visiting these shores, stopping by the Hay-On-Wye literary festival later this week to promote his new book. While not the most offensive figure ever to make an appearance - for Christ's sake, Sting once played a concert there - his addition to the roster is sure to be a controversial one.

Here's George's mission statement:

"I do not want to advocate something I am not prepared to do myself. I was planning to stay at home on Wednesday, but I now intend to ... listen to Mr Bolton speak, and then carry out this arrest. I hope that others at Hay might join me."

You know what? Westmonster may have considered joining in - if only because we're publicity whores and love getting our faces in the papers. Yet having paid a previous visit to the festival and witnessed infamous US Defence Secretary Robert McNamara surrounded by bodyguards - all of whom looked like they'd snap the neck of a potential threat in a millisecond - we're going to have to drop out of this one.

Still. Good luck, eh?

Written by C J Davies on 26 May 2008 9:03 PM. Permalink