Human Rights Watch on Wednesday heaped scorn on a move by President George W. Bush to bestow the highest US civilian honor to Colombian leader Alvaro Uribe.
"My understanding is that the Medal of Freedom was given because of Uribe's promotion of democracy, freedom and human rights," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) at a Washington press conference.
"Personally, I have a hard time figuring out who is more audacious, President Bush for giving the human rights award, or President Uribe for receiving it."
Roth added: "Neither Bush nor Uribe has anything to be proud about in the human rights arena.
HRW slams Bush's award of freedom medal to Colombia's Uribe
UK Foreign Minister: 'War on terror' was wrong
The more we lump terrorist groups together and draw the battle lines as a simple binary struggle between moderates and extremists, or good and evil, the more we play into the hands of those seeking to unify groups with little in common. Terrorist groups need to be tackled at root, interdicting flows of weapons and finance, exposing the shallowness of their claims, channelling their followers into democratic politics.
The "war on terror" also implied that the correct response was primarily military. But as General Petraeus said to me and others in Iraq, the coalition there could not kill its way out of the problems of insurgency and civil strife.
A Wind Turbine for Every Rooftop?
These days, there are more and more options for those of you who want a small wind turbine out in the yard or on your roof. They range from the standard to the somewhat bizarre, and come in sizes that can power several major appliances all the way up to your whole house and beyond. In the right conditions, wind power can be much more economical than other renewable energy options such as solar or geothermal.
Detainee Tortured, Says U.S. Official
The top Bush administration official in charge of deciding whether to bring Guantanamo Bay detainees to trial has concluded that the U.S. military tortured a Saudi national who allegedly planned to participate in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, interrogating him with techniques that included sustained isolation, sleep deprivation, nudity and prolonged exposure to cold, leaving him in a "life-threatening condition."
Israeli soldiers say they have OK to use tough tactics in Gaza
Nine Israeli human-rights groups called on Wednesday for a war crimes investigation into what they called the Israeli military's "wanton use of lethal force" against Palestinian civilians and widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.
In 19 days, Israel has killed more Palestinians than in any single year this decade. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks, according to the Gaza health ministry, nearly 40 percent of them women and children.
Israeli rights groups seek abuses inquiry
Nine Israeli human rights groups called on Wednesday for an investigation into whether Israeli officials had committed war crimes in Gaza since tens of thousands of civilians there have nowhere to flee, the health system has collapsed, many are without electricity and running water, and some are beyond the reach of rescue teams.More...
When Israel expelled Palestinians: What if it was San Diego and Tijuana instead?
In fact, in this very paper on January 9 House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor ended an opinion piece by saying "America would never sit still if terrorists were lobbing missiles across our border into Texas or Montana." But let's see if our political and pundit class can parrot this analogy.
Major Media Excuse Obama Nominee's Failure to Pay Taxes
Rather than provide a check on the abuses of those in power, Accuracy in Media editor Cliff Kincaid says the media are making excuses for Obama Treasury Secretary nominee Timothy Geithner's failure over the years to pay a variety of taxes and to make sure those he hired as domestic help had legal status in the U.S. The media, Kincaid argues, are functioning as arms of the Obama Transition office. The most popular excuse, first put forward by the Obama office, is that Geithner just made "honest mistakes." This excuse has been picked up by the media, he notes.
Read more...
Red Cross says Gaza humanitarian situation 'shocking'
"I saw this dramatic humanitarian situation. There's an increasing number of women and children being wounded and going to hospitals," Jakob Kellenberger told reporters in Jerusalem.
"It is shocking. It hurts when you see these wounded people and the types of wounds they have. And I think that in addition the number of people coming to these hospitals is increasing," he said.
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