I’m still knee-deep in my next Iraq piece, so this is a quick one: Anyone who thinks Obama is wrong to block the release of some 2,000 additional prisoner abuse photographs should ask himself two questions: Are the photos new? Do they help in prosecuting those responsible? If the answer to either question is ‘yes’, [...]
Archive for the ‘Human rights’ Category
Prisoner Abuse: The Pros and Cons of Releasing Photos
Posted in Afghanistan, Human rights, Iraq on May 14, 2009 | 7 Comments »
About that Torture Thing, Ctd.
Posted in Human rights on April 17, 2009 | 1 Comment »
I’m afraid those still in denial about what CIA interrogators were authorised to do to their prisoners will have to swallow their pride and read these. I particularly recommend the August 1, 2002 Bybee-to-Rizzo memo, which details, with medieval attention to detail, how Abu Zubaydah was to be tortured. For his side of the story, [...]
Lynndie England: ‘Honestly, I Don’t Think It Was Enough’
Posted in Human rights on April 9, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Now that y’all have digested that ICRC report I linked to yesterday, here are the excerpts from my Lynndie England interview I promised: Q: In war, where do you draw the line on what one can do to one’s prisoners? A: “I don’t know.” Is there a line? “It’s hard to say. It depends on… [...]
About That Torture Thing…
Posted in Human rights on March 16, 2009 | 2 Comments »
The allegations of ill-treatment of the detainees indicate that, in many cases, the ill-treatment to which they were subjected while held in the CIA program, either singly or in combination, constituted torture. In addition, many other elements of the ill-treatment, either singly or in combination, constituted cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. ICRC Report on the [...]
Pakistan, the Next Cambodia?
Posted in Afghanistan, Human rights, Pakistan on February 17, 2009 | 1 Comment »
As the chief Khmer Rouge torturer goes on trial today in Phnom Penh for crimes against humanity, we’d do well to remember a little bit of history. The Khmer Rouge may have been an indigenous movement, but the collapse of the Cambodian state and the resulting cataclysm were brought about by outside catalysts — an [...]
Guantanamo: ‘You’re Now Property of the USA’
Posted in Human rights on February 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The bus doors opened, the escort teams were lined up right next to the bus to take the detainees off the bus and put them in the holding area. You could hear the Marines screaming at them ‘Shut the fuck up! You’re property of the United States of America now.’ We were not allowed to [...]
‘There Was Blood All Over’: The True Face of Rendition
Posted in Election 08, Human rights, U.S. on February 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I realise these are early days, and we don’t yet have all the information, but this business of the Obama administration invoking the state-secrets privilege is not good. A guy is kidnapped, tortured and detained for years without charge, and when he tries to take his case to court, he is promptly told to go [...]
Morning Brief: Anbar, Renditions and the German Jihad
Posted in Human rights, Iraq, Iraq: Elections, Terrorism on February 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Working against a deadline, so a couple of quick links will have to do for now: At Foreign Policy, Marc Lynch pours cold water on the rapturous reception of Iraq’s provincial elections, with special emphasis on Anbar. At Jihadica, Anne Stenersen looks at the lack of a unified strategy by AQ and its affiliates on [...]
Torture: The Missing Memos
Posted in Human rights on January 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I consider myself reasonably well versed in the intricacies of the Bush administration’s detention and interrogation policies, but I long ago lost count of the numerous memos — by John Yoo, Jay Bybee and others — that the OLC spewed out to justify detainee mistreatment and other lawlessness. So I’m happy to report that Pro [...]
Should Finland Take Guantanamo Detainees?
Posted in Human rights on January 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
As Obama moves to shut down Guantánamo — even if he is, in the immortal words of Peter Feaver, just “kicking the can as far down the road as he possibly can without being penalized for delay of game” — we all suddenly find ourselves trying to figure out whether we can somehow pitch in. [...]
