U.N. rights investigators seek facts on bin Laden death

[steve2470]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - U.N. human rights investigators called on the United States on Friday to disclose whether there had been any plan to capture Osama bin Laden and if he was offered any "meaningful prospect of surrender and arrest."

Principles of engagement in such operations require the possibility of surrender, firing warning shots and if necessary wounding a suspect, rather than killing him, they said.

Failure to comply could amount to a "cold-blooded execution" but the overall situation must be taken into account, including whether U.S. forces were under attack, said Martin Scheinin, U.N. special rapporteur on protecting human rights while countering terrorism.

"We are just saying the U.S. government should answer questions concerning whether a meaningful prospect of surrender and arrest was given by the U.S., but perhaps not taken by Osama bin Laden," Scheinin told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/06/us-binladen-un-experts-idUSTRE74545Q20110506

[dkf]

1. Protecting human rights while countering terrorism. Lol.

It's a joke.

[L. Coyote]

5. Human rights abuse is a form of terrorism.

Terrorism is NOT by definition something only the political opposition does.
Terrorism is a characterization of lawless individual and/or institutional behavior intended to instill fear.

It would be helpful to have a guide to the use of the term "terrorism" in written laws and, comparatively, in political propaganda discourse.

[dkf]

15. What about defending yourself from people who wish you dead?

What types of human rights are afforded to attackers?

[L. Coyote]

29. I've done that after being attacked, after taking a few stab wounds I was certain

about who was guilty of attacking me, of course, so I kicked him squarely in the groin, of course.

I did not go around killing other suspects, of course.

[Zhade]

10. I'm pretty sure that was the bush admin's view, too. Welcome to their ranks.

NT!

[dkf]

16. It is one thing to not torture people...another thing to protect people from harm.

If Clinton had killed OBL in the "aspirin factory" bombing, would you have been outraged?

[erikdane]

21. Yeah

those pesky principles of Rule of Law, Justice and conventions are just in the way when we know someone is guilty. Funny how it's only the US who seems to be able to justify actions like this. I wonder how the US would view it if Cuba had a death squad on American soil hunting down people who had killed civilians in Cuba. I guess that would be OK too?

[The Magistrate]

2. Well, Sir, they Do Draw a Salary, They Have To At Least Look Like They Do Something To Earn It

[Autumn]

3. Interesting n/t

[nonperson]

4. Here, let me help them with those facts

bin Laden is DEAD thanks to a strong leader, President Barack Obama, and the Navy Seals who got the job done and got out safely, again thanks to President Obama.

But thanks to that short attention span idiot, George W. Bush, bin Laden had far too much time on this earth.

E.O.S.

bin Laden gladly took credit for killing thousands of Americans. What did the UN expect would happen? JUSTICE?

That's exactly what did happen, finally, after ten long years. JUSTICE.

[Zhade]

11. No, that was revenge. Let's at least be honest about it.

NT!

[go west young man]

12. This is the definition of justice.

Justice is the concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, fairness, or equity.

True justice would have been better served in a court of just law. Eradicating the person doesn't help us learn anything.
Thereby leaving us destined to repeat the same mistakes. Justice wasn't served. Moral righteousness wasn't administered.
We lowered ourselves for the sake of revenge. In essence Bin Laden has actually made us look weak in his dying. We could
have stood for something much bigger.

Of course we have a reason for permanently silencing him. (Providing we actually did. There has been no evidence released yet.
Just the government story.) Dead men tell no tales.

[nonperson]

13. Justice in this case

Dealing with a known dangerous criminal hiding in plain sight in a nation that is SUPPOSEDLY an ally, a nation we send BILLIONS of dollars in aid yearly. This is a complicated and dangerous situation. Ask yourselves this; if the Seals who risked their lives to bring JUSTICE to the nearly 3,000 people who died on 9/11 had attempted to capture and return bin Laden to the USA had been delayed by that effort, surrounded, captured, held prisoner, or DIED trying to bring bin Laden in, what would your reaction be?

Now ask yourselves what would the Republican reaction be?

In this case, a quick surgical strike with a quick and final outcome was not only the right thing to do but the only sensible thing to do when dealing with the likes of bin Laden.

DID BIN LADEN GIVE THE PEOPLE IN TOWERS I AND II OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER A CHOICE BETWEEN DEATH AND CAPTURE?

FUCK NO HE DIDN'T AND THEREFORE HE DIDN'T DESERVE OR GET THAT CHOICE EITHER.

GREAT JOB, PRESIDENT OBAMA, SEAL TEAM 6, AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION INVOLVED IN BRINGING JUSTICE FOR THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF THOSE BIN LADEN MURDERED. THANK YOU.

[go west young man]

14. Nice verbal jackoff.

I can see why your a fan of this kind of "justice". An eye for an eye however equals total blindness.
We could have gleaned much more info if he was taken alive. Seal Team 6 let us down in this regard.
If they had the opportunity to take him alive and just shot him that was foolish. The world would have
been more on America's side if they handed down true justice instead of military might only. This was an
opportunity lost for a nation that professes to be a moral compass for the rest of the world. An
enlightened society doesn't celebrate death. Not even the death of their worst enemy. An enlightened
society learns as much as they can so the same mistakes don't happen again. Of course if we did that
our 25% of GDP military budget would end up paying for social programs that save citizens lives at home.
We can't have that now can we? Instead we waste a trillion on an idiot like BIn Liner and people like yourself
continue to buy the bullshit diatribe the government throws at ya. Meanwhile a lot more than 3000 people
have died right here at home while we throw our tax money down a hole in the desert. Sadly Bin Laden
(should he actually exist) seems to win a victory even in death.

[nonperson]

18. Why don't you try jacking off while on the ground in a similar situation as Seal Team 6

And see what's left in your hand before you can finish.

I agree with much of what you say but this motherfucker bin Laden NEEDED to DIE ASAP. Period. EOS.

[trud]

6. a meaningful prospect of surrender

Sure, they asked politely.

[iandhr]

7. The UN can SHOVE IT

They have no credibility on human rights when they have countries such as Bahrain, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and China on the so called human rights council. This is just a small sampling of the brutal dictatorships who have the worst human rights records who sit in judgment of the United States. We owe the United Nations nothing. There are consequences for harboring terrorists.

[erikdane]

22. But the US has

the US lost it moral credibility a long time ago. especially considering all of the countries you just mentioned are all supported by the US. And what are the consequences in the US when we harbor terrorists?

[christx30]

8. I forgot

when it was that the UN human rights council demanded answers from Bin Laden and his people about subduing the people on the flights with box cutters? Or the bombings in Africa? Or the USS Cole?
Bin Laden was a problem for the world. The UN wasn't solving it. The US did. The SEALS are heroes. None of them should ever have to buy another beer for the rest of their lives.

[EFerrari]

9. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1368

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1368, adopted unanimously on September 12, 2001, after expressing its determination to combat threats to international peace and security caused by acts of terrorism and recognising the right of individual and collective self-defense, the Council condemned the September 11 attacks in the United States.<1>

The Security Council strongly condemned the attacks in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania and regarded the incidents as a threat to international peace and security. It expressed sympathy and condolences to the victims and their families and the United States government.

The resolution called on all countries to co-operate in bringing the perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of the attacks to justice and that those responsible for supporting or harbouring the perpetrators, organisers and sponsors would be held accountable.<2> The international community was called upon to increase efforts to suppress and prevent terrorist activities through co-operation and implementation of anti-terrorist conventions and Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 1269 (1999).

Resolution 1368 concluded with the Council expressing its readiness to take steps to respond to the attacks and combat all forms of terrorism in accordance with the United Nations Charter.<3>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1368

[christx30]

17. And then sat on their hands

for the next 10 years. it's the US that has been doing it, until that litter detour into Saddam's backyard. But it was the US that led the fight. And it was American sailors that hunted down that bastard and gave him justice. Now the US has to answer to the UN about the "rights" of that asshole? We should tell them to perform a physical impossibility. We don't owe them a damn thing.

[EFerrari]

24. Since the US controls the security council, it's a little silly to fault them

for anything.

[classysassy]

19. Selective revenge

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nxt1]

23. This was revenge

Good read and I agree with a lot of it. I would like to see the details as well

[laylah]

25. Just out of curiousity,

where were the cries of "seeking facts" when *dumbass invaded a sovereign nation, using lies to do so, capturing and murdering their sovereign leader? Caveat: So damned insane was one evil bastard, one we helped to create. I was not sorry to see him gone; HOWEVER, again, I pose the question...where were the cries of "seeking facts" when *dumbass invaded a sovereign nation, using lies to do so, capturing and murdering their sovereign leader?

[boppers]

26. He had ten years to surrender, and obviously heard the shots downstairs.

Amusing trolling.

[high density]

27. There was lots of cold-blooded execution occuring on a sunny September morning ten years ago

Osama lost his "human rights" long ago.

[S_E_Fudd]

28. bin Laden had 10 years to surrender...

eom

[No Elephants]

30. Prediction: The UN will find the US acted properly. Side issue: this could be kabuki. nt

[hack89]

31. While he is waiting, maybe he can help the Syrians

but then this is the UN - so they will do nothing.

If we are smart, we can use this incident to further marginalize the UN.