UN calls US human rights record "deplorable"-A new report suggests US may have committed war crimes

[kpete]

Source: Salon

U.N. calls U.S. human rights record "deplorable"

A new report suggests the U.S. may have committed war crimes -- and endorses the formation of a truth commission.


May 29, 2009 | The United Nations has released a new report on accountability for human rights abuses by the United States, focusing mostly on transgressions during the Bush administration's so-called war on terror. In a word, accountability in the U.S. has been "deplorable."

The May 26, 2009, report by Australian law professor Philip Alston, the U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, does praise the United States for establishing compensation payments for civilians accidentally killed by U.S. forces in the heat of battle. But Alston quickly adds the following: "However, there have been chronic and deplorable accountability failures with respect to policies, practice and conduct that resulted in alleged unlawful killings -- including possible war crimes -- in the United States' international operations."

A summary from the report follows below. But the body of the document doesn't pull any punches either.

Here is what Alston says about at least five detainee deaths at Guantánamo: "The Department of Defense provided little public information about any of the five detainee deaths."

Read more: http://www.salon.com/news/primary_sources/2009/05/29/un_report/

---

report:
http://www.salon.com/news/primary_sources/2009/05/29/un_report/

[virgogal]

1. The UN is useless,.What about the atrocities in other parts of

the world? Are they all blind?

[Deja Q]

2. Don't forget, the US is THE blame for ALL the world's problems.

We both know I'm being sarcastic, but some actually think that way.

[earcandle]

23. We do pay 732 mercenary contractors stationed in 137 countries, so what do you think they do?

[Baby Snooks]

77. They are spreading democracy...

Don't you know that is what the CIA does? It spreads democracy.

[No Elephants]

88. They're spreading something.

[SpiralHawk]

53. The Republicon Homelanders are to blame

they just dragged the USA down into the cesspool with them

[mix]

74. capitalism and empire are

and the US embodies both

[hlthe2b]

5. Making excuse for the US's role because there are others

who similarly commit these atrtocities..... Boy, aren't we PROUD?




:sarcasm:

[glitch]

9. is juvenile.

We desperately need to grow up.

[LynnTheDem]

14. Kinda exactly like the "s/he did it too!1!

And my daddy's response was always "If s/he jumps off the bridge..."

[glitch]

16. Hey! That was my mommy's response.

We had good parents, me thinks.

[chill_wind]

43. Exact words my parents both used.

EXACT words.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

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[judesedit]

63. They call it Colonization Look what they did to the American Indians who were here 1st by the way

[mix]

102. manifest death/destiny

[struggle4progress]

12. Consider educating yourself before you sputter and spew. The UN HRC has a multiyear schedule

for global review, that you can access via this link: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/

So the answer to your questions "What about the atrocities in other parts of the world? Are they all blind?" is: "No, they're not blind, as you would have known if you'd done a bit of research first"

[Titonwan]

20. So our war crimes are OK then?

What is wrong with you? Bush did this in our good name and has tarnished our reputation and you're mad? Get stuffed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. And that excuses the US war crimes??

Enjoy your stay! LOL

[madrchsod]

27. you mean rwanda , haiti, and the many parts of africa?

ya they are blind

[Time for change]

34. What is your point?

That's like someone getting arrested for murder, and his excuse is "Other people do it too, why don't you arrest them?".

[JDPriestly]

40. The UN condemns atrocities wherever they occur.

The UN is not just condemning the atrocities committed by the U.S.

[Violet_Crumble]

44. My goodness. The Look Over There! syndrome has escaped from the I/P forum! n/t

[Chulanowa]

48. That's so fucking stupid

Like the UN has never, ever, EVER in its history, ever called anyone else out on their human rights abuses. They's juss pickin' on li'l ol us, ain't dey?

[CJCRANE]

56. In case you haven't noticed

leaders from other countries have been tried at the Hague and other international courts (such as Arusha in Tanzania).

On edit: list of international courts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Court#List_of_international_courts

[deaniac21]

84. The Hague is a city.

[CJCRANE]

106. It's journalistic shorthand for the ICC which is located in the Hague.

Just Google "tried at the Hague", you'll see what I mean. It's also commonly used on DU.

It's like "Capitol Hill" is actually a residential neighborhood but when we see it in a political context it means the U.S. Congress or "Washington" which is actually a state or city but in a political context it means the Federal gov't.

[Name removed]

72. Deleted message

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[iamthebandfanman]

73. as soon as i read this, i knew this reply was comin

and low and behold its the very first one.



how do you expect ANYONE to follow international law if the united states doesnt?

the authority of the UN is moot...


you know, we have a lot to do with the UN being irrelevant. republicans have never liked the UN, and never treated it very kindly when in office.

[No Elephants]

87. The UN does point out atrocities in other parts of the world. It may be useless for other reasons.

[bertman]

3. I'm so glad they're on top of this now that Obama is President. Where were these people

when Cheney was in charge?

[defendandprotect]

8. You mean when Colin Powell visited and they had to take the Guernica painting down?

And Powell proceeded to BS everyone there?

They did, however,correctly label the attack on Iraq as an "Illegal War" --

[caseymoz]

38. Actually, I my guess is that this is a challenge to Obama.

They're trying to prod this the Justice Department into bringing charges against the Bushistas. Fact is, if Obama's Justice Department doesn't act, Obama could end up being charged for complicity in torture.

I hate the fact that Obama's Justice Department is continuing the previous administration's court cases concerning secrecy and illegal, indefinite arrest, and has chosen to bury photos of prisoner abuse. It is the most bizarre political shift I've ever seen. It makes me wonder: was Obama threatened with assassination from the inside? Did the shadow government sit down with him and tell him there was a lone gunman out there? He didn't have these views before. What else could that be?

[Name removed]

97. Deleted message

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[flakban]

107. or perhaps...

Mr. Obama was impressed by the thought of excessive powers and in favor of heading a fascist rule system all along, and was merely manipulating to get his chance at realizing such an agenda. I voted for him, but I noticed a couple of red flags during the campaign. For example, he voted for the FISA matter that let the telco corporations who willingly participated in domestic electronic data-mining off the hook (no pun intended). And then Mr. Obama's verbal pattern dramatically changed at one point during his campaign. That is, when he attended campaign rallies with Oprah, his inflections and overall speech patterns began to morph into that of a Baptist preacher. It was clearly an act... that translates into a disingenuous manipulation. Something ain't right!

(Note: Presumably the moderator found the accompanying graphical image objectionable. I've thus omitted the image from this post. Hopefully that's enough to allow my hypothetical and premising observations to stand. Holding a candidate's feet to the fire for whom one voted once he or she has been elected is supposed to be a healthy thing in a functional democracy. If I see an entirely contrary individual emerge once that candidate attains office, at the very least I'm going to speculate on what may have happened. I was under the impression that this forum was a place to do just that. Hopefully I'm not wrong.)

[tomm2thumbs]

4. an indictment of Cheney Bush

no irony in the fact that they hated everything UN - now they are hot on their heels

[Optical.Catalyst]

52. Now we are living with the world opinion of the Bush Administration legacy

We are criminal in the eyes of the world. Our first step in rebuilding the good reputation of the United States is to find those responsible for the war crimes and punish them.

It is time to put the Bush Administration on trial and send both Bush and Cheney to jail

[No Elephants]

89. We have a very good idea who is responsible, and they are afraid to leave the US, so finding them is

not going to be that difficult.

[defendandprotect]

6. Love it when they make things clear . . . "US is a terrorist nation" . . .!!!

[Demeter]

10. NO! Really??

[cali]

11. uh, no, that is not what the U.N. said

they said accountability has been deplorable.

[No Elephants]

90. As in looking only forward.

[LynnTheDem]

13. "suggests" ... "may have" ... ???!

Ummmm...hello?

The Nuremberg Principle VI which defines as crimes against peace, (i) Planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances; (ii) Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the acts mentioned under (i).

Aka "the supreme crime".

[earcandle]

24. The Treaty of Tripoli states that we are not a Christian Nation and would not war against the Middle

East for religious reason.  Didn't Bush call for a
"Crusade"? 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tripoli 

[No Elephants]

91. Violations of the UN Convention Against

Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment http://untreaty.un.org/cod/avl/ha/catcidtp/catcidtp.html


(Took us 13 years to become party to it, but we did finally do so in 1988.

It forbids, among other things, transporting people for torture, but Obama has not ruled out rendition. It also requires prosecution of torturers, but Obama wants to look only forward. In other words, our President, if he continues down the path he has set himself upon, will be violating international law, too. And, by our President, I mean both America's President and the Democrats' first choice for America's President.

And Congress did nothing with Bush or with Obama on these issues. Nothing.

I am sickened with grief.

[rpannier]

15. War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity do not apply to the permanent members

No one investigates the Chinese Government, no one investigated what the French did in SE Asia durng the 50's, Britain in India, Russia/USSR then and now, etc

This will likely die as well

[Titonwan]

22. It's gonna start, then.

I'm not living in a war criminal nation. I'm changing this shit.

[No Elephants]

96. Where will you be moving to?

[JayMusgrove]

17. MAY have??????????????????? PLUEEZEEE!

This is how Americans live, going out for burgers produced on Texas cattle ranches, with cheese from Canada, wheat from China,

They eat a McDonald's burger, (yes, I am as guilty as the rest of you) and live off the finest of the world's productions, from oil and gasoline, to spices on our shushi......we all do it, and we are not at all guilty, more than a little.

We eat, drink, drive, and think we EARNED the right to be so bold, consuming 25% OR MORE of the world resources just to be happy, when we are less than 5% of the world's population.

Yeah, we are just fine as a nation, doing so. We need to make profits, make our lives happy and painless,

We torture some small fraction of the world, in order to keep our mythology alive, that we are better than anyone else on the planet.

We refuse to indict and convict war criminals like Bush and Cheney, because we are just like them, eating our burgers and driving our inefficient cars.

[earcandle]

25. If I were like that, I would be so full of self- hatred.

I bet a lot of people like that are filled with self hatred
and lack any compassion for others at all. 

sicko,psychotic types who rape and murder and beat their wives
and children while doing some great job in politics
or religion or law. 

[judesedit]

68. We ALL should be working on changing that relevant and important fact

[No Elephants]

95. Am I supposed to feel guilty for eating and using spices? Do I get any points for

not eating fast food or sushi?

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

18. May have?

:spray:





Seriously though, the teevee today had reports today that mentioned Bushs record on Human Rights. (supposed) But only in the eyes of the M$M apparently.

[No Elephants]

100. Excuse the UN for employing a presumption of innocence in its formal communications. Bad habit.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

103. and my reply was the only one stating "May Have"?

or the only one you chose to lay pearls of wisdom on?

[aquart]

19. "MAY have"?

Is there anyone left with a doubt?

[madrchsod]

26. what? america may have committed war crimes?

oh my what ever shall we do about that?

nothing.....what ever we did we declared legal and we have to move on.....







will anyone have the courage to demand the people who were responsible be held accountable?

[flyarm]

41. NO WE HAVE COMMISSIONS TO COVER UP CRIMES COMMITTED IN OUR NAMES!

HOW MANY COMMISSIONS HAVE EVER PUT THE BLAME OR ACCOUNTABILITY ON THOSE WHO REALLY COMMITTED THE CRIMES?????

none

[Solly Mack]

28. "May have", my ass

[imdjh]

29. I'm quick to criticize the US, but I don't give a rat's ass what the UN says. nt

[frog92969]

35. Any outside help is much appreciated by many of us

Since we're too busy "looking forward" to deal with our own war criminals.

[EFerrari]

47. The UN helps people who are being victimized by their own governments, too.

You might want to keep their number in your rolodex.

[Name removed]

83. Deleted message

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[dflprincess]

30. "What about the atrocities in other parts of the world? Are they all blind?"

The atrocities in the other parts of the world aren't be committed in our names. We have to face up to what the U.S. has done and demand the criminals be tried - or be complicit.

[scentopine]

31. Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this, right? hello?

[No Elephants]

92. Not to worry. The Tooth Fairy is on it!

[Amonester]

32. "may have" ...

they must be waiting for $ome check with lotsa $$$$$$$$ from the ministry of corruption....

may have (pffft)

[Senator]

33. K&R

[Vidar]

36. The UN is right.

[jazzjunkysue]

75. YEP. Sadly. The entire Iraq occupation was a war crime.

I wish the UN would take B*/Cheney into custody. Not gonna happen.

[proteus_lives]

37. I'm torn.

The "America is Evil" meme has never cut the mustard for me but we must hold ourselves to a higher standard if we want to keep being the leaders of the free world.

I have very mixed opinions on the UN because of the double-standards they often seem to hold the US and Israel to. But we also need to change policies and hold people accountable for their crimes.

I would like any trials, truth commissions and investigations to handled by our government.

[burrowowl]

39. The USA has Civil Rights Legislation BUT

no Human Rights Legislation! Interesting isn't it!

[No Elephants]

93. Human rights are covered mostly by Conventions. They are the law of the

land, pursuant to the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. Also, the Convention Against Torture, Etc. requires us to enact laws against torture; and we did. See also Reply #91.

[Swagman]

42. why does America think it should the "leader of the free world" ?

not that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but it's history of negative interference throughout the world shows that to be a rather tenuous reality based upon bullying rather than by leading.

If the crimes of the Bush administration aren't addressed I think America will lose all moral superiority.

The UN is a good organisation but it is constantly nobbled..by US & UK governments.

[proteus_lives]

45. Because it has the most power and influence.

It's the simple truth of powerful nations. Britain, Rome, Soviet Union and the rest.

"but it's history of negative interference throughout the world shows that to be a rather tenuous reality based upon bullying rather than by leading."

And there's the "America is evil" meme, right on schedule. America does great things and wrong things. No nation has achieved a perfect record yet. America's record goes back to the powerful nation thing, the more power a nation has, the bigger the footprint.

The rub of the UN is how to get nations to act above their own national interests. It's a constant struggle with all nations and it will be interesting to see what state the UN is in by the end of my life.

[judesedit]

64. I wonder why? Most of it's been gotten illegally I'm sure, but don't dare question it

[proteus_lives]

70. Difference?

If America has obtained its power and influence illegally, please give an example of a nation that acquired their's "legally"

[Swagman]

66. no...America is not evil..but some of it's people are and they are

very powerful people. Sadly they wield that power in America's name.

[proteus_lives]

71. There's the rub.

In any nation, how do you prevent the "evil" people from obtaining and using power? Believe me, I'd like to know the answer too.

[EFerrari]

46. Higher standard? We just kidnapped hundreds of innocent people

held them without charge, hid them from the ICRC and tortured them for years. About a hundred of them DIED in our custody. Dozens of them are still "missing".

We even can't meet the league minimum, let alone a "higher standard".

Who knows what kind of danger that's going to put our own soldiers in for decades.

[proteus_lives]

50. That's why change is needed.

If we don't, we'll become China.

[No Elephants]

94. Deadly Toys R Us?

[proteus_lives]

104. With a #50 to go.

Genocide with a side of one-party rule.

[choie]

57. right

because OUR trials, truth commissions and investigations have ALWAYS held American citizens accountable for their crimes. :sarcasm:

[HappyCynic]

49. K & R

[BlueMTexpat]

51. K & R!

Thanks, kpete! Thanks Professor Alston! Thanks to all those who stand firmly for the rule of law!

Yes, other human rights abuses exist, but our own during the past eight years have been so flagrant that we simply cannot be taken seriously as a nation that stands for the Rule of Law if there is not serious and meaningful accounting for the abusers and, most importantly, those at the highest levels, of whatever political party, who authorized and enabled the abuses.

And yes, if we, as one of the most powerful nations on earth can indeed be held to account by the world, if we shamefully cannot be held to account by our own justice system ... which would certainly be the preferred course, then perhaps some of the other consistently flagrant abusers might think twice before they ever again think of such actions.

Tick ... tick ... tick ... :kick:

No wonder Little Dickie is afraid ... !

[judesedit]

65. Well put

[Christa]

54. K & R nt

[BunkerHill24]

55. America the beautiful is no more.....

in eight years of America's George Bush all good america is done and gone.... including the feeling Europe had on Normandy.

BTW, America needs to release the so called "torture tapes"....


America (The mighty, the Best, the Greatest) would demand other nations to release any torture videos when one of our own is tortored....regardless: So why is our government afraid of bunch of Taliban, out and about in Swat Valley using these torture tapes for their recruitment ideas?

Well, the excuse is rather Bullshit....and one that the rest the world is laughing on about.

So Soldier on...feel good about America, yet America is not the rest of the word.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

58. there is no may have about it

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=8723725

[Christa]

59. A new report suggests US may have committed war crimes???

Have we lost our minds?

We should not be having this discussion! A new report suggests we may have committed war crimes?

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Harry Monroe]

60. "May have"? Gee, ya really think so? Duh!!

It's pretty obvious to anyone who has been paying attention for the last 8 years.

[judesedit]

61. About time somebody did. While their at it, they can do the same for China, Africa, Asia, Central

and South America, Europe, etc. EVERYONE OF THOSE BASTARDS WHO TOOK PART SHOULD BE CHARGED, TRIED and GET THE SAME PUNISHMENT ANY ONE OF US WOULD GET - TO INCLUDE DEATH! AN EYE FOR AN EYE would be even better. Waterboard those creeps. I'm sick of this double standard bullshit. NO ONE is above the law. Especially those who signed documents agreeing with the Geneva Convention. Period. These criminals are ruling the world, people. Wake up before you are caught totally off guard. Pay very close attention to what is going on in your very own neighborhood and town or city and expose anything that looks fishy. It's time to take our countries back.

[Wednesdays]

67. K&R

:kick:

[jimlup]

69. Reporting in the mainstream

This will be reported as though the malcontents of the world makeup the commission that authored the UN report. The world is suppose to obediently look the other way at US crimes. When they don't they are roundly condemned by the US mainstream media.

[LiberalFighter]

76. Where was the UN when the US declared war on Iraq illegally?

[PainPerdu]

101. AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Name removed]

78. Deleted message

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[No Elephants]

98. One of the first steps to finding truth is being able to differentiate between the truth and your

own opinion. Obama is guilty of not prosecuting (so far), in violation of law. That is truth. Whether that makes him no different from Adolph Hitler is a matter of opinion.

[Kurovski]

79. K&R. (nt)

[LiberalLovinLug]

80. Who cares what the UN says!??

Its only The-Rest-Of-The-World :eyes:

:sarcasm:

[That Is Quite Enough]

81. Yeah, I'd say the US is guilty of war crimes.

And no I'm not being a 'stereotypical America-hating liberal extremist,' (which I'm sure some of these liberal-hating DU freepers are bound to start calling me) I'm just stating an opinion.

And our deplorable human rights record doesn't start with Bush 2: The Sequel. It stretches back a LONG WAYS. All the way back to the 70's at least. Even further if you count the massacring of North America's indigenous populations.

But don't let me take away from your UN bashing. I'm sure they're just being haters. :eyes:

[Zhade]

82. MAY HAVE???

Stop the world, I want to get off.

[deaniac21]

85. The UN gets things done. This is the first step.

[Towlie]

86. Yes, Mr. President, we need to look forward, but without prosecution this is what lies ahead of us.

[PainPerdu]

99. Arrogance or ignorance?

And is it arrogance or ignorance that allows some to so effortlessly turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to the intentional atrocities being perpetrated upon others in our name?

Silence gives consent.

Who will speak out for US when the atrocities come home,here,to roost?

[and-justice-for-all]

105. Any country that uses torture has a deplorable Human Rights record..

US included. And the US Governments track record of 'spreading democracy' aka Imperialism, is of itself deplorable.