Amnesty Int'l Slams "Bankrupt" America

[Jmeyers130]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1503&ncid=1503&e=2&u=/afp/20040526/ts_afp/rights_amnesty_world_040526124901

The United States has proved "bankrupt of vision and bereft of principle" in its fight against terrorism and invasion of Iraq (news - web sites), Amnesty International charged.

In its 2004 report on the state of human rights around the globe, the London-based group cited grave violations in dozens of other nations.

But it targeted in particular the "war on terror" initiated by US President George W. Bush (news - web sites) in the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001 for sanctioning human rights abuses in the name of freedom.

The unilateral nature of the conflict to unseat Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) in Iraq had additionally "virtually paralyzed" the United Nations (news - web sites)' role in guaranteeing human rights on a global level, the Amnesty report said Wednesday.

The 339-page document, detailing the human rights situation in 157 nations and territories, reserved the most column inches for the United States, with almost as many critical words also meted out to Russia and China.

--snip--

"Sacrificing human rights in the name of security at home, turning a blind eye to abuses abroad and using pre-emptive military force where and when it chooses have neither increased security nor ensured liberty."

The notion of fighting a campaign against terrorism so as to support human rights, while simultaneously trampling on them to achieve this, was no more than "double speak", she said.

"The United States has lost its moral high ground and its ability to lead on peace and human rights elsewhere," Khan added at a press conference in London to launch the annual report.



At least someone has a brain.

[bluedeminredstate]

1. Not to worry

the flacks at the WH will dismiss them as "irrelevent" sometime later today.
They used it on Al Gore and the UN - it's their favorite verbal middle finger.

[TahitiNut]

6. Interestingly, while Amnesty Intl. and other NGOs are the source ...

... of most of the "proof" of Saddam Hussein's human rights abuses, these same organizations are dismissed out of hand when they make similar reports of abuses under the Busholini Regime.

[peacetalksforall]

2. Vision? Principle?

We know what it is - acceleration of domination and control of the people and their money, mind, body, vote, health, future.

[Bozita]

3. Amnesty International is on C-SPAN3 live now (10:45am EDT)

good stuff

[nolabels]

4. This one reads "Report: 'US war on terror bankrupt'"

It goes bookend with another, the Bush economic doctrine "BANKRUPT"

Report: 'US war on terror bankrupt'
By Elizabeth Blunt
BBC World Service

Human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) has issued an annual report in which the United States' war on terror is criticized as bankrupt of vision and bereft of principle.

Guantanamo: The report describes a pattern of arbitrary and incommunicado detention
The last year has seen "the most sustained attack on human rights and international humanitarian law in 50 years", AI says.

Its annual report notes a lively debate in the Arab world on issues of political, legal and judicial reform.

It goes on to say that despite this, grave human rights violations continued across the region.

'Obligations'

In the Arab world, 2003 was a year of dramatic events, and one which raised serious human rights issues.
(snip)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3749055.stm

[Snazzy]

5. AP: Report: U.S. Flouting Human Rights

(They are revising the headline and lede to make this stronger)

Report: U.S. Flouting Human Rights

15 minutes ago Add World - AP to My Yahoo!


By JANE WARDELL, Associated Press Writer

LONDON - The United States and its supporters in the war against terror are flouting human rights in the pursuit of a global security agenda that has made the world more dangerous, Amnesty International said Wednesday.

The abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. troops was the consequence of a Bush administration policy "to pick and choose which bits of international law it will apply and where," the group's secretary general, Irene Khan, said in presenting the annual assessment of human rights.

Khan condemned attacks by terror groups such as al-Qaida, but said the U.S. response was driving the most sustained erosion of human rights and international law in 50 years.

"As a strategy, the war on terror is bankrupt of vision and bereft of principle," Khan said. "Sacrificing human rights in the name of national security, turning a blind eye to abuse abroad and using pre-emptive military force where and when the powerful choose to act has damaged justice and freedom, and made the world a more dangerous and divided place."

Asked about the report's assertions, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said, "I dismiss that."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=535&e=4&u=/ap/20040526/ap_on_re_eu/britain_amnesty_report

(rated 4.27 w/ 107 votes)

[TahitiNut]

7. "bankrupt of vision and bereft of principle"

That describes the Busholini Regime quite well. They could've added "obsessed with power" and "compulsive militarists" as well, but what the heck.

[Moderator]

8. Duplicate, please discuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=583116