Advocates worry Obama easing human rights stand

[G_j]

http://news.findlaw.com/ap/a/w/1151/03-13-2009/20090313010510_14.html

Friday, March 13, 2009

Advocates worry Obama easing human rights stand
By STEVEN R. HURST Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP)
<snip>

President Barack Obama sought the moral high ground on human rights with his early order to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and declaration that the United States would never again torture prisoners.

<snip>
But Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dulled the luster, rights advocates say, when she said during a trip to Asia that the administration - while still deeply concerned about human rights in China - could not let that interfere with cooperation with Beijing on the worldwide economic crisis and the fight to ease global climate change.

<snip>

Beyond China, however, there is a considerable list of Obama positions that have raised doubts about how far the new president will shift from the policies of his predecessor.

-The administration has filed a legal brief that echoed Bush in maintaining that detainees in Afghanistan have no constitutional rights and arguing that enemy combatants held at Bagram Airfield cannot use U.S. courts to challenge their detention.

-Government lawyers continued to invoke the state secrets law in a federal court case that involves the CIA's extraordinary rendition program, in which U.S. operatives seized foreign suspects and handed them over to other countries for questioning. The law blocks the release of evidence the government deems secret and potentially harmful to U.S. security.

-The administration is feeling out Uzbekistan, which has one of the worst human rights records among the former Soviet republics, about using an air base to provide supplies and troops to Afghanistan. The move became necessary after neighboring Kyrgyzstan declared it was canceling the U.S. lease for a base in that Central Asian country.

-Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently greatly scaled back expectations in Afghanistan, declaring the United States was not going to be able to leave behind anything close to a western-style democracy. The U.S. rationale for its seven-year engagement in the country rested partly on having driven the Taliban from power. The Islamic fundamentalists ran a brutal regime that was particularly harsh in its treatment of women. The administration has recently said it was ready to reach out to Taliban members who are willing to work with the U.S.-backed government of President Hamid Karzai.

<snip>
"Part of her challenge diplomatically is going to be able to work on many fronts," said Amnesty International's Curt Goering. "The United States cannot be credible on any issue unless it remains credible on human rights."

...more...

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[Why Syzygy]

2. kick

:kick:

[geek tragedy]

3. Reality is a bitch.

1. The vast majority of detainees at Bagram do not and never will have US constitutional rights. They have Geneva Convention rights, but not habeas rights.

2. Obama closed down the secret prison program.

3. Beggars can't be choosers.

4. Reality is a bitch. Western-style democracy is not viable in Afghanistan--that's not Obama's fault.

re: China--they own us because we owe them so much money. Thank you Bushonomics.

[G_j]

4. did you read the article?

that might be helpful

[G_j]

5. k

[ProSense]

6. WH:

human rights is an essential aspect of US global foreign policy

[G_j]

7. That is why Amnesty International exists. nt