US rejects calls to shut Guantanamo

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060216/pl_afp/usattacksunguantanamo_060216190926;_ylt=AtQAjkEwBMLrwNGQ0d33aIGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-


15 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House blasted a UN report alleging abuse at the Guantanamo Bay detention center and calling for closing the facility as "a discredit to the UN."


"The United Nations should be making serious investigations across the world, and there are many instances in which they do when it comes to human rights. This was not one of them," said spokesman Scott McClellan.

McClellan said the five independent experts who act as monitors for the UN Human Rights Commission, who produced the report, "did not even visit Guantanamo Bay" despite being offered access.

"And I think it's a discredit to the UN when a team like this goes about rushing to report something when they haven't even looked into the facts, all they've done is look at the allegations," he told reporters.

The UN report bluntly states: "The United States government should close the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities without further delay.".....

[fooj]

1. Like the rat bastards listen to anyone...

:grr:

I hate those assholes. I really do.

Peace.

[pinniped]

2. These criminals only listen to the UN when it suits....

the repuke agenda.

They were ready to invade Syria when the assassination report came out claiming they were involved.

--"a discredit to the UN."--

[Double T]

3. bushco will never let anyone take away their torture chamber........

what would they do for fun?????

[Rocknrule]

4. Yea, they'd have to settle

for long afternoons of Return to Castle Wolfenstein and masturbating to Saving Private Ryan

[Sub Atomic]

5. Fine. If the neoCONs want it that way

then the UN should place international sanctions on the U.S. Cut off all imports, including oil and food until the U.S. complies.

Wonder how long it'll take der Monkey to close the base then?

[littlebat]

7. UN Sanctions

I wish they would! What else will wake this country up? Chimpy is like that damned emperor with no clothes. There are still way too many people who don't or won't see it.

[LynnTheDem]

10. US & Israel would just veto any resolution.

As always.

[katinmn]

6. The European Parliament passed a resolution in support of the UN

I wonder if they will invoke some sanctions against the U.S. now.

Nah. Would be great, though, if the world decided to stop buying weapons and shit from our defense manufacturers.

[LynnTheDem]

8. 80% POWs at US Gulag are innocent. 90% POWS ar US Abu Ghraib gulag

are innocent.

USA kidnaps women & kids;

USA tortures;

USA rapes & murders;

USA invades & occupies innocent nations;

USA slaughters innocent men, women & kids.

THAT'S OK coz we're AMERICANS BY GAWD!

Just don't let anyone else do it or else!

[President Kerry]

12. No.

Not USA. The bastards that think they are in power. No way, no how, will I ever allow them to sully the image of the USA. In no way do they represent me and my citizenship.

[LynnTheDem]

13. They've already sullied the image of the USA, & for many years to come.

One chance left to start reversing it;

IMPEACH. INDICT. IMPRISON.

And that ain't likely, coz rightwingnuts have no morality, honesty or integrity.

[truebrit71]

9. In other news, the shocking discovery that water is wet..

...why is ANYONE surprised at this?

[Jack Rabbit]

11. BBC Report

From the BBC Online
Dated Thursday February 16 22:15 GMT (2:15 pm PST)

US attacks UN Guantanamo report

The White House has savaged a UN report demanding the immediate closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp calling it "a discredit to the UN".

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said investigators failed to examine the facts and that their time would be better spent studying other cases.

The report says the US should try all approximately 500 inmates, or free them "without further delay".

Aspects of the treatment at the camp amount to torture, the UN team alleges.

Excuses, excuses, excuses. Go directly to The Hague. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200.

[LynnTheDem]

14. And world disdain towards us increases.

"Do as we say, not as we do".

Hypocrisy thy name is AMERICA.

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Pul-leeze!!

Rephrase that to read: Hypocrisy, thy name is AMERICA the Bush regime.

I am an American and the junta is about as un-American a things as one can imagine.

[bpilgrim]

20. unfortunately there isn't much resistance from our leaders so technically

it is correct to say america, imho

:cry:

BTW: JR have you seen this yet...
http://nobravery.cf.huffingtonpost.com
(warning GRAPHIC iraq war images)

peace

[Mithras61]

15. OH MY GAWD, WHAT A SHOCKER!

I'm shocked! That was unbe.. someone call a doctor, I think I'm having a heart attack from that stunner! No, Really! :sarcasm:

Is ANYONE really surprised by this?

[mom cat]

17. Of course they did not visit guantanamo. Do you really think they would

have been let in to look? Duh.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

18. No they didn't visit, Scotty. They were not going to be able to interview

any prisoners.

The Bush admin's attitude in this is despicable.

[Vidar]

19. Bush rejects, not US rejects.

[Up2Late]

21. US rejects calls to shut Guantanamo (AFP)

(I guess that had to ask...)

US rejects calls to shut Guantanamo

17/02/2006 02h20

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States has angrily rejected calls by UN human rights monitors to close the Guantanamo detention camp calling their report "a discredit" to the world body. But UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said that "sooner or later" the controversial camp will have to be shut down -- stepping up pressure on the US administration....

(clip)

...The 54-page document strongly condemned the treatment of the 500 detainees at the Guantanamo Bay US Naval Base in Cuba. It pointed to cases of "excessive violence" during transportation of detainees and force feeding of hunger strikers. These "must be assessed as amounting to torture", the report said.

The investigators said the US military acted as judge, prosecutor and defence in the special trials at the base. They said the US authorities should "expeditiously bring all Guantanamo Bay detainees to trial" under international law, "or release them without further delay".

The White House quickly hit back at the investigators, criticising them for writing the report without having been to Guantanamo. The experts cancelled a planned visit to the camp last year because the United States refused to give them free access to all prisoners....

(more at link below)

<http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/060217022058.dvdnch0j.html>

[fooj]

22. Where has my beloved country gone?

:cry:

[Trevelyan]

23. Keep signing petitions and writing congress and the media

http://www.CagePrisoner.com
http://www.WitnessToTorture.com

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/notorture

http://www.tellthetruthabouttorture.org/
http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/home.asp
http://ga4.org/campaign/prisonerabuse?
http://www.supportmpscapegoats.com/

[spindrifter]

24. Meanwhile, the British are raising a ruckus because

they are petitioning for action on three of their citizens at Gitmo.

<snip>

The judge said: "America's idea of what is torture is not the same as ours and does not appear to coincide with that of most civilised nations." He made his comments, he said, after learning of the UN report that said Guantánamo should be shut down without delay because torture was still being carried out there.

<snip>



http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,,1711833,00.html

+++++++

There is absolutely no morality in the neocon plan.

[Up2Late]

25. I wish they would stop referring to "America's idea of Torture..."

It's The Bush administrations idea of torture!

Most of "America" knows it's wrong too!

[spindrifter]

26. Unfortunately, until Americans

give those louts the boot over unacceptable methods of dealing with other humans, both domestically and overseas, they are American methods. We all need to tell them No More.

[Erika]

27. The Iraqi government is now insisting all Iraqi detainees be

turned over to them and freed from U.S. Control.

See at www.icasualties.org

It seems our hosts wish to take care of their own and don't trust us.

[PhilipShore]

28. NYT: Investigators for U.N. Urge U.S. to Close Guantánamo

New York Times
Investigators for U.N. Urge U.S. to Close Guantánamo
February 17, 2006

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/17/international/17nations.html?hp&ex=1140152400&en=6a46ca4f39e6a142&ei=5094&partner=homepage

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 16 — Human rights investigators working for the United Nations called on the United States on Thursday to shut down the Guantánamo Bay camp and either try its detainees quickly or free them.

Arguing that many of the interrogation and detention practices used in Guantánamo amounted to torture, the investigators' report said those who ordered or condoned abusive practices should be brought to justice "up to the highest level of military and political command."

The 54-page report, based largely on interviews with former detainees and publicized information, including news accounts, is not legally binding. But it urged that Guantánamo be closed, "without further delay," and called for American personnel to be trained in international standards for the treatment of detainees.

The White House promptly dismissed the report, suggesting that the investigators had based their conclusions on false information spread by terror suspects.