US defends rights record to United Nations panel

[Judi Lynn]

US defends rights record to United Nations panel

Jul 17, 2006 — By Laura MacInnis

GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States defended its record on prisoner treatment, racial profiling, immigration and the death penalty on Monday in its first appearance before a top United Nations human rights panel in 11 years.

Matthew Waxman, who lead the U.S. delegation to the U.N. Human Rights Committee, submitted a 66-page document offering legal justifications for policies ranging from renditions of foreign detainees to juvenile sentencing in the United States.

Acknowledging an "intense international interest" in U.S. activities abroad since the September 11, 2001, attacks propelled Washington into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and sparked an overhaul of many U.S. laws, Waxman said geopolitics had recently made rights protection more complicated.

"Although the threat from al Qaeda presents tough legal challenges, our guiding principle is that our actions must be consistent with our Constitution, our laws and our international obligations," the principal deputy director for policy planning of the State Department told the committee.
(snip/...)

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2202258

[rodeodance]

1. we offer 'legal justifications"---and forgot the morality of what we do.

......Matthew Waxman, who lead the U.S. delegation to the U.N. Human Rights Committee, submitted a 66-page document offering legal justifications for policies ranging from renditions of foreign detainees to juvenile sentencing in the United States.

[saigon68]

2. HERE ARE SOME "HUMAN RIGHTS"

FREEDOM IS ON THE MARCH

HOW CAN THESE ASSCLOWNS KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE?

[Sadie5]

3. It just makes you sick

to even think that there is a defense for this kind of treatment of another human being. Why does no one make them answer for their misdeeds.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Reminds me of a scripture from the Bible they love to shove in everyone's

face, from the words of their Christ:

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." ...
(snip)

A system which allows perfect strangers so much power over helpless people is a system which needs so badly to be redesigned.

[saigon68]

5. Other lasting disgusting behaviors

[High Plains]

6. The world's leading jailer has little ground to criticize others for

human rights violations. Ach, the aching hypocrisy.

[Ringo84]

7. How can you defend what's clearly wrong? (nt)

[CHIMO]

8. So All Are

Not born equal. Well them Mr. B. How many castes are you going to have?