Rumsfeld Skips Munich Security Conference

The U.S. Defense Secretary will not attend high-profile talks on international defense policy at the Munich Security Conference claiming prior commitments. Rumsfeld will send Douglas J. Feith, the Undersecretary of Defense, instead, to discuss such items as the E.U. and U.S. stances on Iran.

Rumsfeld previously stated that he would not attend the conference unless Germany voided a complaint from the New York-based, asking German authorities to prosecute him for. The group filed the complaint last December with the Federal German Prosecutor's Office, accusing Rumsfeld of war crimes and torture in connection with 's.

German legislation allows prosecution for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide regardless of where the crime occurred or of the nationality of the accused.