The Double Standards of the United States

[Taxloss]

I fear there has been a brutal shift of morality in the 'new normal' US - and it may never be the same again

Marcel Berlins

Last Thursday, the general assembly of the United Nations voted to set up a new human rights council, to actively promote, monitor and supervise the delivery of human rights in the member states. Only four countries voted against. The US was one. The others were Israel, the Marshall Islands (population 59,000) and Palau (population 20,000).

Last month, the report of a UN inquiry into Guantánamo Bay called on the US administration to shut the prison down, because of its constant flouting of all the international laws and human rights principles governing prisoners, not least the prohibition of torture. The report was immediately, contemptuously and curtly rubbished by the US authorities, who pointed out that the five UN envoys had not spoken to any of the Guantánamo detainees, so how could their conclusions be accorded any validity? The reason why the envoys had not interviewed any prisoners was that the authorities had denied them access. (Instead, they spoke at length to freed prisoners, and to doctors and lawyers who had been there.)

In a lecture under the auspices of "Justice" on Monday, Mary Robinson - former president of the Irish Republic and former UN high commissioner for human rights - pointed out the telling coincidence that on the same day that the Americans spat on the UN inquiry's report, China, for the first time, opened its prisons to allow in international human rights inspectors. And yes, they were able to talk to the prisoners.

This does not mean that China has suddenly become a country that firmly adheres to all human rights principles, but it does demonstrate a depressing trend. As many countries with historically poor human rights records are being persuaded to relax their restrictive regimes and treat those under their control, including detainees, better, the US is travelling in the other direction. This is not to deny that there are still many worse governments in the human rights league (Zimbabwe, Belarus, Cuba and a lot more), but to trace the decline of the US.

More:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1736501,00.html

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Chilling stuff.

[IsItJustMe]

1. Well, you see the kind of leadrship and msm we have. I suspect it will

get darkerstill yet.

[bloom]

2. I suppose everybody

thinks that they have morality figured out - but what the hell kind of morality is it that endorses torture - that cheers for gang-rapists - encourages people who are paid to be assholes.

The assholes are winning.

:crazy: