Obama Administration Defends Move to Join UN Human Rights Council

[cali]

By David Gollust
The State Department
01 April 2009


The Obama administration on Wednesday defended its decision to reverse the policy of its predecessor and seek a seat on the United Nations' Human Rights Council. Critics of the move contend that the U.N. agency is beyond reform.

The decision is being criticized by U.S. conservatives who say it only legitimizes a fatally-flawed organization. But Obama administration officials say they believe engagement can reform the U.N. body, even though they say they have no illusions about the difficulty of the process.


Delegates listen a speech at the 10th Human Right Council meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on 02 Mar 2009
The Human Rights Council was formed in 2006 to replace the U.N.'s Human Rights Committee, which was widely discredited for accepting countries with poor human rights records as members.

Critics say the successor organization has been no improvement, with the council disregarding rights abuses in places like Zimbabwe and Sudan's Darfur region, while being a sounding board for criticism of Israel.

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http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-04-01-voa61.cfm

[madrchsod]

1. interesting ....

a country that has an official policy of torturing "prisoners of war" has decided to reform the u n human rights council.

[cali]

2. uh, the U.S. is no longer led by bush, and no longer has a policy of torture

and the HRC does indeed need reform. It's a fucking travesty. educate yourself.

[madrchsod]

4. until those who tortured innocents and the guilty in our name

come to trial this country has no right to lecture others. the old saying.."if you do`t say it`s wrong then you say it`s right" applies. the people who have the power restore the moral standing of our country refuse to charge and bring to trial those responsible.

yes i was wrong, we no longer torture but that does`t absolve us from those crimes.

[cali]

5. you do realize what countries are on the the HRC right?

So should the HRC just be dissolved? Should any country with a dodgy history or human rights and that hasn't brought all the perpetrators to justice, never comment on human rights?

Your post is flat out ridiculous on the face of it.

[Captain Hilts]

3. Good. We'll have to play rough at times, but we're back in the game.