U.N. Uncovers Torture at Guantanamo Bay

[maddezmom]

BRADLEY S. KLAPPER, Associated Press Writer
13 minutes ago



GENEVA - U.N. human rights experts said Thursday they have reliable accounts of detainees being tortured at the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The experts also said Washington had not responded to their latest request to check on the conditions of terror suspects at the facility in eastern Cuba. That request was made in April.

U.S. officials so far have allowed only the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit Guantanamo detainees.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050623/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/un_guantanamo

[Oversea Visitor]

1. Mine mine

UN attacking
Now now Chimp see you not much friends left :)
International Red Cross also attacking
Human Rights Organisation too
See dont play gavel now they come with hammer
I smell blood
The predators are gathering
Bye Bye Chimp

[King Coal]

I hope yer right, OV.

Good on ya!

[Village Idiot]

2. While I agree that this stuff should be reported on...

it seems a little...shall we say...NAIVE, or perhaps just OBVIOUS?

Why would the US allow the UN (whom they believe to be "anti-American," "anachronistic" and "a non-entity") to investigate?

It took MONTHS of PAINFUL negotiation to allow the ICRC to "visit" Gitmo in October, 2003 and June, 2004, and even then they were not allowed access to everything they wanted to see..

They would not allow Amnesty International ANY access to those held at Gitmo without access to legal representation, prompting the "gulag" comments. They will not allow an independent international investigation, urged by AI, either.

It just ain't gonna happen. They will either be denied completely, or they will be given a "sanitized" tour like the ICRC...

On a side note:
I find it interesting that the US military and CIA ADMIT learning much of what they call "counter-terrorist" or "counter-insurgency" tactics today from Wehrmacht representatives of the Gehlen organization in the late '40's and early '50's, yet the US government continues to DEMONIZE and DECRY the objectors anytime anyone uses the "Nazi" perjorative...

I wonder what they WOULD call it? Enlightened? Where the fuck do they think these people learned the tactics they taught in the fist place??? Sunday school???

[scdusek]

15. What about

Bush's comments...or rather "invitation"...on Monday where he invited reporters to come on down to Gitmo and take a tour of the facility? Since he's giving a torture open house down there now, it shouldn't be too hard to verify these claims.

In fact, I'm ditching the family vacation to Florida this year and we're going to Gitmo. Thanks for the invite chimpy!! You're a "piece of work!"

[maxrandb]

3. Why Does this AP Reporter Hate Amurikka!! n/t

[leftofcool]

8. fer our freedoms.........

[maddezmom]

4. Systematic violations of medical secrets at Guantanamo, report alleges

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Interrogators are systematically accessing the medical records of prisoners at the US naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba, exploiting detainees' vulnerability, two jurists claim in a report.

Citing internal military documents, Gregg Bloche, a Georgetown University law professor, and Jonathan Marks, a barrister at Matrix Chambers in London, published their findings in the July 7 edition of The New England Journal of Medicine.

Up until early 2003, and possibly even afterwards, interrogators personally were able to access medical records of US-held detainees, according to their report.

"Health information has been routinely available to behavioral science consultants and others who are responsible for crafting and carrying out interrogation strategies," it said.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050623/wl_afp/usattackshealthguantanamo_050623061016

[maddezmom]

6. 6/16: New DOD Rules Issued for Medical Personnel

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has issued new guidelines for military medical personnel aimed at clarifying their role with prisoners. The move stems from the abuse scandals at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison and elsewhere.

The guidelines, provided to reporters Thursday, say the only role of medical personnel involved in treating detainees is to "evaluate, protect or improve their physical and mental health." They were issued by Dr. William Winkenwerder, the assistant defense secretary for health affairs.

Another set of doctors and experts — such as the psychologists, profilers and forensic pathologists who advise interrogators — are not to be involved in treating detainees, but they must still uphold the principles of humane treatment, the guidelines say.

Speaking to reporters, Winkenwerder could not say whether the guidelines mark any change from existing policy. Their purpose is to prevent any abuse in the future, he said.

~snip~
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050616/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/prisoner_abuse_medical/nc:693

[leesa]

5. Ah that left-leaning UN! Where's Bolton to end these lies?

Didn't Bush just say the IRC is allowed in 24/7?

[C_U_L8R]

7. The Bush Regime Condones Torture.

Period. Let the tribunals begin.

The torture chambers of the Bush Regime
are a disgrace to our national honor
and a blemish upon our flag.

It would be nice to see George and Dick
brought to justice and publicly strung upside down
just like their historical role models.

Nuff said.

[Catfight]

9. But the UN is corrupt.....nt

[Supersedeas]

13. Torture is beside the point--Condi has a political smear campaign to run

Phone taps anyone?

[daleo]

10. Rove as much as bragged about this the other night

"Conservatives understood the message of 911" - in other words, they took advantage of it to break any law or rule of civilized behavior they cared to.

[habitual]

11. Bush Can't Stop The Wave, He is in trouble.

Hehehe, he is being struck back at. Organizations are realizing that he is not the same as he used to be and they are attacking back. The problem for Bush right now is that the tide of negative things coming at him right now is getting too strong to manage with his usual methods. Attacking the messenger has worked for him to this point very well. But, it is hard for him to attack so many messengers that are all saying the same thing. It just makes him look guilty.

Here are the associations that are finally beginning to stick to this administration.

ABUSE / TORTURE / ILLEGAL - Guantanamo
ABUSE OF POWER - Bolton, Terri
CORRUPTION - Social Security, Energy

I only listed the most salient issues these days that are causing him the most problems, did i miss any?

[jsamuel]

12. I know a lot of Americans don't really care

But things like this have to be pushed into the spot light. It is illegal. More illegal than pot as far as the international community is concerned.

[sasquatch]

14. Ladies and Gentlemen, Nostrasasquatch will predict your news for the week

OIL FOR FOOD, OIL FOR FOOD, OIL FOR FOOD, OIL FOR FOOD!!

[obreaslan]

16. This is nothing more than rumor...

Spread by an International Organization, who is taught to hate America. They are basically disassembling...that means not telling the truth. :)

:sarcasm:

[Frederik]

17. It's a conspiracy

to make the US army look bad. That's why we gotta send Bolton to the UN.

[redacted]

18. BBC VIDEO CLIP: US 'stalling UN Guantanamo visit'

United Nations investigators have accused the US of stalling over their repeated requests to visit detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

The US is holding hundreds of suspected Taleban and al-Qaeda members there. Susannah Price reports from New York.

RealPlayer Clip:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news_web/video/9012da6800129b8/nb/09012da680012c50_16x9_nb.ram

Web Page Report:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4123200.stm

[jmcon007]

19. International Committee of the Red Cross ???

Isn't this the same group that the US has threatened to cut funding for because of a report from them indicating prisoner torture by the US?

[libertarianseeker]

20. And its not really newsworthy...

there's nothing there we didn't already know... like the DSM's

[Barad Simith]

21. be sure to rate the story (bottom of page)

[struggle4progress]

22. Anger as US hinders move to investigate Guantanamo abuse

BRADLEY KLAPPER
IN GENEVA


UNITED Nations human rights experts yesterday said they had reliable accounts of inmates being tortured at Guantanamo Bay and accused the United States of hindering their attempts to visit detainees at the US naval base in Cuba.

The four independent experts said the US had not responded to numerous requests to check the condition of terrorist suspects at the camp. They said their request for a visit was "based on information, from reliable sources, of serious allegations of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees, arbitrary detention, violations of their right to health and their due process rights".

The experts, who report to UN bodies on different human rights issues, have been trying to visit Guantanamo since early 2002. They said they had yet to hear back from Washington on their latest request - made a year ago and renewed in mid-April - to visit the camp. A US spokeswoman said the request was still being reviewed.

"The writ of international human rights does not stop at the gates of Guantanamo Bay," said Paul Hunt, of New Zealand, one of the experts whose role is to monitor physical and mental health. <snip>

http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=694982005