Amnesty on the defensive over Guantanamo Bay

[lovuian]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=34ddf4242580c974

Edmund McWilliams Thursday 23rd June, 2005

The US Government's reaction to Amnesty International's annual report, which described US prison facilities in Guantánamo Bay as the "gulag of our times", has been remarkable for its level, speed and stridency.

The President, Vice President, Secretary of Defense and Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff have all weighed in within days describing the report as "absurd" (President Bush) and as based on "lies" (Vice President Cheney).

Throughout its distinguished 40-year history, Amnesty International has spoken out for those who can not speak for themselves, earning bitter criticism from governments whose inhumane practices it has exposed. Rarely has the source of such vitriol been democratic government leaders.

In considering the basis for the US Government's scathing reaction, I conclude that the Amnesty International charges provoked the US leadership to such an extraordinary degree because those charges and that comparison are, in essence, true.

In my 26-year career as a Foreign Service Officer with the State Department (1975-2001), I served in several assignments that entailed reporting on human rights concerns. These included service at the US Embassy in Moscow and in Bangkok. In Moscow, I reported, in particular, on historic and ongoing Soviet human rights abuse in Soviet prisons. In Bangkok, I reported on human rights abuse in the Vietnamese labor-prison camp system, which the US Government, drawing on my reporting, characterized a "gulag". I also reported on human rights abuse by the Soviet-supported governments in Afghanistan and Laos.

more...

Amnesty International is getting Irate at the Bush & Cheney administration!!!

[rodeodance]

1. they got the badmouth from Bushco like so many others. it is getting real

sickening.

[bemildred]

2. No they aren't.

The headline sucks. It should be:

Amnesty on the offensive over Gitmo Gulag"

[struggle4progress]

3. Is US. of President Bush the gulag of our times?

Irene Khan

JUNE 2005 (IPS) - A hooded prisoner balanced on a box with wires dangling from his outstretched arms. A naked man cowering in terror as soldiers threatened him with snarling dogs. A Qur'an being desecrated.

"Offensive." "Irresponsible." "Reprehensible." "Unfortunate and sad." "Absurd."

As the world marks International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on Sunday, June 26, one could be forgiven for assuming that these words might have been used to describe the horrific images detailed above -- but they were not. They are actually the words used by senior U.S. officials over recent weeks in response to Amnesty International's Report 2005, writes Irene Khan, Amnesty International Secretary General. <snip>

The Bush Administration must stop attacking the messenger and begin dealing with the message which is simple. Close Guantánamo detention camp and charge the detainees under U.S. law in U.S. courts or release them. Disclose the rest and carry out a full, independent investigation into U.S. policies and practices on detention and interrogation including torture and ill-treatment. <snip>

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=29180

[lovuian]

4. Struggle great article and its RIGHT ON!!!

Bush & Cheney have to start dealing with this torture issue everyday they don't they dig a deeper hole for them and the military!!!

[struggle4progress]

5. AI's Irene Khan doesn't sound cowed to me. eom

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Someone's on the defensive and I don't think it's Amnesty International

EDITED for typing

The Bushies are simply trying to tell the world that if they do it, it isn't torture.

They are full of Bushit.

[understandinglife]

7. Concur. AI called it just what it is. Bush and the neoconsters could live

.... 10,000 years and still not live long enough to serve the jail time that's going to be their fate.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4173.htm


WE THE PEOPLE .... WILL NEVER FORGET

"... we sent our young people into harm's way without leveling with the American people." - Congresswoman Pelosi before Congress, 16 June 2005

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us - Indictment and prosecution of all members of the Bush neoconster regime should be a campaign promise of any candidate worthy of our vote in the 2006 Congressional elections.

[LynnTheDem]

8. earning bitter criticism from governments whose inhumane practices it has

exposed.

Uh huh. Exactly.

[jukes]

9. "Rarely has the source of such vitriol been democratic government

leaders."


this says it all for me. this is NOT a case of vitriol by democratically elected leaders; it's typical bravadao & braggadacio from unelected dictators that do NOT represent the people.

[lovuian]

10. Kick

:kick: