The Great Unravelling…UN Investigates US

From the BBC

The UN is to investigate the use of secret detention centres allegedly used by the CIA and other groups as part of US counter-terrorism efforts.

The decision follows a UN report which uncovered what it said were serious abuses by the intelligence services.

The report said secret prisons were “one of the most horrendous practises” adopted by intelligence services.

Martin Scheinin, UN special rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, said that in many cases states receiving detainees had “reportedly engaged in torture and other forms of ill-treatment”.

From Reuters


“Australian, British and United States intelligence personnel have themselves interviewed detainees who were held incommunicado by the Pakistani ISI in so-called safe houses, where they were being tortured,” he said, referring to Pakistan’s spy agency.

Scheinin later told reporters that such “wrongful acts” violated international law.

The system, put in place by the Bush administration following the September 11 2001 attacks in the United States, had reflected a “dark page” in U.S. history, he said. But “it was only possible through collaboration from many other states.”

“Now that the witch hunt is hopefully over, it is time for the law to step in,” Scheinin told the Council.

From McClatchy


Scheinin cites “consistent, credible reports” that countries involved in facilitating extraordinary renditions in various ways included Bosnia and Herzegovina, Britain, Canada, Croatia, Georgia, Indonesia, Kenya, Macedonia and Pakistan. Suspects then were transferred to “mostly unacknowledged” detention sites in Afghanistan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Pakistan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Thailand, Uzbekistan “or to one of the CIA covert detention centers, often referred to as ‘black sites,’ ” according to the human rights report.

Apparently, the US has to rely on others to bring justice to its domestic War criminals.

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  1. in England…

    Opposition politicians and human rights groups accuse the government of stonewalling.

    “Accountability is not the strong point of this government, particularly on foreign policy,” said Tom Porteous, the director of Human Rights Watch in London, who noted that British admissions of complicity in America’s war on terrorism have emerged slowly, in bits and pieces. With top politicians calling for independent inquiries in recent days, however, “we’ve built up a head of steam,” he added.

    “The sum of it all is a very compelling case of U.K. connivance in counterterrorism abuses,” Porteous said.

  2. that essay on convincing people that we should investigate torture ourselves, lest the world do it for us sooner!

    All kidding aside, this is going to be the biggest argument in favor of us fulfilling our treaty obligations fully and fairly (no white wash is going to fix this) if we do not, the rest of the world will.

    Even those that think we have done nothing wrong will not be able to argue that it is better to have other nations investigating a President and his administration.  

    • Robyn on March 11, 2009 at 20:23

    …about the mistreatment of GLBT people around the world.  I noted that the report neglected to rank the US among the offenders.

  3. … now we’re outsourcing justice.

    Great.  Just great.

    • Edger on March 11, 2009 at 20:33

    Bosnia, Herzegovina, Britain, Canada, Croatia, Georgia, Indonesia, Kenya, Macedonia, Pakistan… Afghanistan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Pakistan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Thailand, and Uzbekistan?

    Looks like we have to put half the leaders of the world in prison.

    What do we do next week?

  4. I mean ugliER.

    Just reading though some of the schlopp on DK today re the whole Chuck Norris crowd, and the rest of that faction, all ramping up… and imagining if things continue to go this way on this “issue” (I really dont even like to refer to TORTURE as an issue)… ugh.

    It bothers me a great deal to see kossack-folk either downplay, deny, or argue the importance of this whole thing. Like we dont have enough of a battle on our hands as it is. This is gonna be… All Hands On Deck… in the progressive crowd. Why dont they get that?

  5. “Accountability is not the strong point of this government, particularly on foreign policy,” said Tom Porteous,

    NO Kidding!  

    We wouldn’t be talking about this if the Bushies had not violated our laws and Constitution.

    We must have a Special Prosecutor appointed.

    Your congressman should should be calling for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor for the Bush appointees that violated Federal Laws, Treaties and the Geneva Convention on Torture.

    Torture is a Federal crime with penalties of 20 years to life and the death penalty if the prisoner dies as a result of torture. It is a very serious crime. They took people off the streets and held them without charges for years.

    Sign the Petition    AngryVoters.org

    Individuals: Sign The Petition To Prosecute those in the Bush Administration that violated Federal Laws.

    Have your organization pass this url to members with a recommendation to sign.

    Groups: Endorse the Joint Letter To Attorney General Holder asking him to appoint a Special Prosecutor for Bush, Cheney and appointees who approved TORTURE and violated other Federal Laws

    http://AngryVoters.org  

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