Index on Afghanistan: May 2007: Part II - NATO; Human Rights
by Sarah Meyer
Index Research
PREFACE
1. NATO: FOR THE LOVE OF EMPIRE
1. NATO: FOR THE LOVE OF EMPIRE
‘ “Supporting the global war on terror remains U.S. European Command's top priority.
The goal, is to deny enemies of the United States the freedom to operate and tap into their resources.
The leadership and capabilities our nation contributes to the NATO alliance remain fundamental to preserving the transatlantic partnership."
'NATO members and 17 other troop-contributing nations are redefining the alliance's role through operations in Afghanistan, the Balkans, the Mediterranean, Iraq, the Baltics and Africa, he said.’
Maj. General Bantz Craddock 1 (18.05.07), ex Guantanamo chief.
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There is no ‘global’ war on terror. It is a US war of terror.
The US controls NATO. NATO is funded by Congress. NATO is sustaining a fervent membership recruitment. NATO, ie the US, will have control over all the membership countries.
Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya wrote the following for an article in Global Research, The Globalization of Military Power: NATO Expansion:
“ NATO is determined to expand its membership circle and to expand its mandate. Ultimately NATO is slated to become a global military force. Moreover, part of the objectives of NATO as a global military alliance is to ensure the “energy security” of its member states.”
The US ‘War on Terror’ is a war of imperial corporate control on our world – through its own forces, through highly paid ‘security’ companies, and through NATO. Possibly, in the future, also through UN forces.
Not content with providing a permanent corporate war of terror on earth, the US is now actively promoting its dollar war in space through the Missile Shield programme. It is not surprising that Putin does not ‘buy into’ this neo-con capitalist adventure.
What leverage does the United States use to collect so many war pimps? Public Integrity produced a report, Collateral Damage, Using the War on Terror to Get U.S. Aid. This very detailed, excellent report, demonstrates how the level of foreign aid (paid for by U.S. taxpayers) from the United States skyrocketed after the Sept. 11 attack. We now need a reputable body to also explore the leverage used by the U.S. government for NATO-joining, Missile Shield supportive countries. V.P. Cheney, Conoco Condi and Poodle B. are not globe trotting without profit in mind.
The definition of security (OED) is “the condition of being protected from or not exposed to danger.”
The U.S, governmental policies are exposing the entire world to danger. It is the corporate cronies and their mouthpiece, the United States government, from whom we need protection.
“Damien Hirst says ‘For The Love Of God is 'a celebration against death.'’ We urgently need a celebration against U.S. ‘collateral damage.’
STOP PRESS. 07.06.07. CAN NATO BE CHARGED WITH WAR CRIMES? Video Terror rendition prisons 'did exist' Channel 4 news report. Secret prisons run by the CIA did exist in Europe to facilitate the worldwide kidnap and torture of terror suspects according to an official investigation. NATO INVOLVED. Rendered from countries including Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia and Sudan, they include children as young as seven; six human rights groups today filed a lawsuit seeking information on their whereabouts.
From Centre for Constitutional Rights
"On June 7, 2007, CCR, with other five other leading human rights organizations, released a groundbreaking report on CIA secret detention programs and filed a lawsuit in U.S. federal court demanding the disclosure of information concerning “disappeared” detainees, including “ghost” detainees and unregistered prisoners."
Summary of Report
Full Report
Footnote :
[1] For references of Gen. Bantz Craddock (commander of U.S. Southern Command) at Guantanamo, see:
Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on allegations of prison abuse at Guantanano;
Bush Nominates General Who Oversaw Guantanamo Prison To Be Top NATO Commander;
Abu Ghraib Tactics Were First Used at Guantanamo (14.07.06, J. White, Washington Post) 'A central figure in the investigation, Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, who commanded the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and later helped set up U.S. operations at Abu Ghraib, was accused of failing to properly supervise Qahtani's interrogation plan and was recommended for reprimand by investigators. Miller would have been the highest-ranking officer to face discipline for detainee abuses so far, but Gen. Bantz Craddock, head of the U.S. Southern Command, declined to follow the recommendation.'The military achieved "solid intelligence gains," by interrogating Qahtani, Craddock said yesterday, and other military officials have said he revealed details on how the terrorist network operates.'
Guantanamo general to head Nato
IMPORTANT UPDATE
The General's Report (25.06.07. Seymour M. Hersh, The New Yorker, Truthout) 6 May meeting with Rumsfeld at Pentagon about Abu Ghraib torture. "The meeting was attended by Paul Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld's deputy; Stephen Cambone, the Under-Secretary of Defense for Intelligence; General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (J.C.S.); and General Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, along with (Gen. Bantz J.) Craddock and other officials. Taguba, describing the moment nearly three years later, said, sadly, "I thought they wanted to know. I assumed they wanted to know. I was ignorant of the setting."
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The information on Afghanistan for May was enormous. I thus broke this information into three parts. The first two parts were:
Dead in Afghanistan: May 2007
Index on Afghanistan: May 2007 Part I
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Index on Afghanistan: May 2007, Part II
1. Preface: For the Love of Empire
2. US-NATO: General; Missile Shield
3. US-Nato: Participating Countries (Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, UK)
4. Human Rights (Torture, Rendition, Guantanamo, War Crimes, Impeachment)
5. Dead and Wounded
6. Future Dead
7. Books
2. US-NATO
GENERAL
Afghanistan: ‘NATO Risks Losing The War,’ Holbrooke
(No date) Moderate Voice. While the US administration and the Congress have opted for continued military-centric strategy in Iraq for the next five months or so, it is the same old story in Afghanistan where NATO forces seem stuck endlessly without any diplomatic or political moves. “NATO risks losing the war in Afghanistan because of a ‘tremendous deterioration’ in the popularity of the government of U.S.-backed President Hamid Karzai,” Richard Holbrooke said Saturday, according to an AP report.
Force 'cannot solve Afghanistan'
08.05.07. BBC / anti-war. Says Jaap de Hoop.
Nato not involved in hunt for Bin Laden: Official
16.05.07. PENINSULA QATAR.
Rift over NATO Afghan tactics spilling into open
17.05.07. P, Graff, Kuwait Times. "The higher echelons of ISAF appear to be in some disarray over the forward direction of strategy in southern Afghanistan," said British defence writer Tim Ripley. The aggressive US approach "doesn't seem to be in tune with the philosophy of the British Army," he said. "On several occasions, senior British commanders have expressed a desire to try to modify the allegiances of potential insurgents, rather than try to kill them."
The Globalization of Military Power: NATO Expansion
18.05.07. * Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya, Global Research. NATO and the broader network of US sponsored military alliances. ‘NATO is determined to expand its membership circle and to expand its mandate. Ultimately NATO is slated to become a global military force. Moreover, part of the objectives of NATO as a global military alliance is to ensure the “energy security” of its member states. What this signifies is the militarization of the world’s arteries, strategic pipeline routes, maritime traffic corridors used by oil tankers, and international waters. … U.S. Senator Richard Lugar has called for NATO to come to the aid of any member of the military alliance, such as the United States, whose energy sources may be threatened. The justification of such an intervention would be under NATO’s Mutual Defence Clause (Article 5).
Bush to Urge NATO to Commit More Troops to Afghanistan
22.05.07. M. Fletcher, Washington Post.
NATO says "Irresponsible" to leave Afghanistan
25.05.07. Pak. Tribune.
NATO: [Taliban] leader detained
26.05.07. USA Today. "The detention of Sayed Gulab will lead to information on Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders, including their operations within Nangarhar and neighboring provinces," said Maj. Chris Belcher, a coalition spokesman.
Just as Mr. Gates announces that the US will have a long term presence in Iraq, so now NATO sees long haul in Afghanistan.
Oil
NATO eyes naval patrols to secure oil facilities
14.05.07. Reuters. (US) NATO is talking to oil and gas producing companies and countries about how it could help combat security threats to energy infrastructure, a senior NATO official said on Monday.
To Join Or Not To Join NATO?
Albania
Rice Urges Albanian Reforms to Meet NATO Criteria
08.05.07. VOA. Basha said Albania's goal is to join the European Union and NATO.
US Rice Urges Albanian Reforms To Speed NATO Membership
10.05.07. AP, serbianna.
Armenia
Armenia mulls troop deployment in Afghanistan
30.05.07. baku today.
China
China willing to boost NATO ties
25.05.07.China daily. China is willing to "maintain contact" and "intensify exchanges" with NATO on the basis of equality and mutual respect, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.
Croatia
Croatian PM Says Expects NATO Invitation In 2008
05.07. Javno.
U.S, Military Aid Before and After 9/11
22.05.07. Collateral Damage Report,, Public Integrity. Three years prior to 9/11, Croatia received $10,572,000 from the U.S. government. ’02-’04 Croatia received $13,433,000.
NATO conducts exercise in Croatia
22.05.07. Xinhuanet.com
Finland
Finland, Sweden to take part in NATO response force exercise in Poland
09.05.07. English people.
Finnish president: Finland not awaiting NATO membership
09.05.07. English people.
Georgia
Public Integrity Report. Georgia
22.05.07. Collateral Damage Report, Public Integrity. U.S. Military Aid Totals. Three years before 9/11, Georgia received $17,848,000. Three years after 9/11 it received $98,054,455.
Russian Troops leave NATO ally
31.05.07. UPI.
Japan
US seeks stronger NATO-Japanese ties
01.05.07. euxtv. Gates cited Japan's role in funding reconstruction in Iraq - second only to the United States - and Afghanistan during a meeting in Washington that included US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma.
Japanese Defense Minister discusses cooperation with NATO
05.05.07. English People.
Norway
Norway participated in NATO rocket defence
15.05.07. Norway post. Although the Government has said no to a Norwegian rocket defence shield, Norway has spent more than NOK 75 million on the development of a NATO rocket defence system.
Portugal
Portuguese EU presidency aims to strengthen ties with NATO
27.05.07. eu business.
Russia: See ‘missile shield,’ below
Sweden
Majority Of Swedes Oppose To NATO Membership
04.05.07. all headlinenews.
Thousands protest NATO naval exercises in Sweden
13.05.07. javno.
Turkey
Turkey sends military aid to Afghanistan
14.05.07. English people. In April, Turkey took over the regional Kabul Command under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan from France.
 Photo Chip Somodevilla / Getty Guardian (01.06.07) MISSILE SHIELD / NATO  Steve Bell, GuardianGENERAL Do the United States and Europe Need a Missile Defense System? 03.05.07. Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, Dept. of State. Testimony Before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Europe and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade. ‘The short answer to the question of whether we and our Allies need a missile defense system is an emphatic yes. This answer is based on an assessment of the strategic context we face today, which is radically different than that prevailing during the Cold War. What we face is the possibility that some of the world's most threatening and unstable regimes will develop and deploy lethal nuclear arsenals, and the ballistic missiles to deliver them to Europe and the United States. ‘(Yadda Yadda) Missile Defense Seen as Dangerous 04.05.07. Ivan Eland, Consortium. President Bush’s plan to deploy missile defenses in Central Europe will reduce U.S. security, not enhance it. Installing radar for tracking incoming missiles in the Czech Republic and anti-missile interceptors in Poland could do more harm than good. Daniel Fried - Missile Defense Plans for Europe 09.05.07. Scoop. ‘I testified with my friend and colleague John Rood yesterday on missile defense, and we are in the United States and in conversations with Europe just still in a beginning stage of working through this issue with our allies, with the Russians and with the Congress. … our central message is getting through and that is this: missile defense should not be seen in the categories of 25 years ago as a replay of the debate over President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative. /// Iran … And as Secretary Gates said in Moscow and in Warsaw, we must think 20 to 25 years ahead about other threats that could arise. … Funding … Qs and As. House Panel Considers Cuts for Missile Defense 10.05.07. T. Shanker, NT Times. Afghanistan, Kosovo, missile defense on agenda as Bush meets with NATO chief 19.05.07. IHT. Bush, NATO chief discuss Afghanistan, enlargement 22.05.07. English People. U.S. President George W. Bush discussed Afghanistan, NATO's enlargement and efforts to deploy missile defense shield in Eastern Europe with visiting NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Crawford, Texas on Monday. U.S. scraps missile-defense test as target misfires 25.05.07. Reuters. "The target did not reach sufficient altitude to be deemed a threat, and so the ballistic missile defense system did not engage it, as designed," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry Obering, head of the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency. Read more at Wired: “The failed test underscored the need of the U.S. to install 10 interceptors in Poland and a tracking radar station in the Czech Republic as a defense against potential missile attack from Iran, Lehner said. It showed that any missiles that Iran launched could similarly go astray and land in Europe even if Europe was not Iran's target, he added. US Missile Defense in Europe to Complement NATO Systems 29.05.07. epicos. NATO Parliamentary Assembly statement. “We needed to move quickly.” NATO, US: Ballistic Missile Defense and a Display of Unity Stratfor. NATO is considering building a new ballistic missile defense site in southeastern Europe to protect its exposed flank. The announcement is a huge ... Subscription Czech Republic Czech Leader Backs U.S. Missile Defense 25.05.07. NBC/anti-war.com. But Russia rejects Czech cooperation And Czech demonstrators protest missile shield plans 26.05.07. Reuters Israel US to invest $205m in missile defense with ISRAEL 19.05.07. Jerusalem Post. Japan U.S. Missile Data Leaked in Japan 22.05.07. Military.com / anti-war.com. Classified information about a U.S.-developed missile defense system was leaked from Japan's navy to students at a naval academy, a news report said Tuesday, as officials investigated security gaps in military information shared between the allies. Poland Poland, US begin talks on missile shield 15.05.07. The int. news. Poles ‘may’ allow Russia to visit missile site 25.05.07. Reuters/anti-war.com Russia Russia to respond to threats from US system: military 08.05.07. nation multimedia. "If we see that these installations, which could be set up in Europe, represent a threat, then we will definitely plan actions against them," Yury Baluyevsky told reporters in Moscow, Interfax news agency reported. U.S. says Russia can't alter missile shield plan 09.05.07. Reuters. Washington has enraged Russia and unsettled some European allies with a plan to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic which it says would help shield Europe from possible missile attack by nations such as Iran. Putin likens U.S. foreign policy to that of Third Reich 09.05.07. IHT / ICH. ‘The comments marked the latest in a series of sharply worded Russian criticisms of the foreign policy of the Untied States - on Iraq, missile defense, NATO expansion and, broadly, the accusation that the United States has striven to single-handedly dominate world affairs.’ Russians reject US missile shield 10.05.07. Angus Reid Global monitor. Poll. U.S., German ministers to meet Putin amid strains 14.05.07. Reuters/anti-war.com Rice: Russia rift not a new Cold War 15.05.07. USA Today Bush Tries to Reassure Putin on Missile Shield Plan 22.05.07. Washington Times / anti-war.com. Missile shield tension brings Putin to US 31.05.07. A. Blomfield, Telegraph. US 'imperialism' means new arms race – Putin 01.06.07. Yahoo, Stuff.co.nz/ICH. Putin said Russia's tests on Tuesday of two new missiles were a direct response to US moves to create a missile defence system in Europe. … "There is a clear desire by some international players to dictate their will to everyone without adhering to international law," Putin said. "International law has been replaced by political reasons." "In our opinion it is nothing different from diktat, nothing different from imperialism," he added. See also AP story here. |
>3. NATO Participating Countries
BULGARIA
Bulgaria to increase Afghanistan contingent to 400 by June
10.05.07. English people. As a NATO member, Bulgaria sent its first batch of soldiers to Afghanistan in Feb. 2002. Each batch has a mandate of one year.
PUBLIC INTEGRITY REPORT
22.05.07. Three years before 9/11, Bulgaria received $58,725,000 from the U.S. Three years after 9/11, (02-’04) it received $44,446,980; total $103,171,980.
CANADA
REPORT
Stephen Aftergood writes on Secrecy News:
CANADA-U.S. RELATIONS
"The United States and Canada maintain the world's largest trading
relationship, one that has been strengthened during the past fifteen years by the approval of two multilateral free trade agreements,"according to another recently updated Congressional Research Service report.
"But it has been over security-related matters, particularly defense
spending, Iraq, and missile defense, that the two governments had their sharpest differences."
"Notwithstanding these controversies, Canada and the United States have been working together on a number of fronts to thwart terrorism, including strengthening border security, sharing intelligence and expanding law enforcement cooperation."
Canada-U.S. Relations
updated May 15, 2007
ARTICLES
New general in charge of Canadians in Afghanistan
01.05.07. Canada com. Major General Jacko Page, left, from Britain, speaks to soldiers and dignitaries after taking over as Commander Region South from outgoing Major General Ton van Loon,
Canada government now says it knew of torture claims by Afghan detainees
01.05.07. The Jurist.
Canada and Afghanistan work out deal on detainees
03.05.07. alertnet/anti-war.com. Canada signed an agreement with Afghanistan on Thursday allowing it unfettered access to any prisoners handed over by Canadian troops, a move that responds to allegations that Afghan authorities were abusing detainees.
Canada and Afghanistan work out deal on detainees
03.05.07. Reuters.
Canada; Afghan torture scandal flares over specific allegations
04.05.07. CTV / ICH. All three opposition parties accused the Conservatives of misleading Canadians and demanded to know when the government became aware of the report.
Poll shows concern about Afghan mission
06.05.07. CTV.
Torture a Kabul Speciality
06.05.07. Eric Margolis, Toronto Sun / Common Dreams. Ottawa’s deal to inspect prisoners shows it hasn’t learned from war history in Afghanistan
Afghan interpreter killed in rocket attack at Canadian occupation forces base.
Canada; Tories block testimony on alleged Afghan coverup
17.05.07. C News. Conservative MPs blocked witnesses Thursday from testifying at a Commons committee on the Afghan detainee controversy.
Canada could lengthen Afghan mission, PM signals
23.05.07. Chris Wattie, Reuters. Harper made the comments during a surprise visit to Afghanistan, where 2,500 Canadian troops are based in the southern city of Kandahar. Canada has lost 54 soldiers and a diplomat since sending troops to Afghanistan in 2002, most of the casualties coming last year in clashes with the Taliban.
Canada skimping on Afghan funeral costs?
30.05.07. NBC. Some families of those killed in action complain of being shortchanged
Ontario combat photographer killed in Afghanistan
31.05.07. Canada.com. Master Cpl. Darrell Jason Priede, 30, of Brantford, Ont., whose images have helped document Canada's Afghanistan mission, became the 56th Canadian service member to be killed here since 2002 and the second in less than a week. A Canadian corporal died in a bombing last Friday.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Five Afghan soldiers killed rescuing Czech diplomat
03.05.07. GULF TIMES.
U.S. Military Aid Before and After 9/11
Public Integrity Report. Three years before 9/11, the Czech Republic received $28,876,000. From 1999 – 2004, the Czech Repulibic received $86,069,534.
DENMARK
Denmark says troops to remain in Afghanistan
20.05.07. Pak Tribune.
GERMANY
Germany Bars Southern Afghanistan Military Deployment
O4.05.07. rferl. German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung has rejected a request from the Afghan government for 19 German military advisers to move to the country's embattled south with an Afghan battalion they were training.
Six German soldiers to deploy to Southern Afghanistan
06.05.07. de/dw, anti-war.com. Germany currently has about 3000 troops stationed in Afghanistan.
Germany calls for Afghanistan review
15.05.07. Australian news. GERMANY overnight called for a review of the tactics used by Western forces in Afghanistan after a series of civilian casualties in recent weeks.
Germany vows to continue Afghanistan rebuilding
19.05.07. Jerusalem post.
Germany Must Stay the Course in Afghanistan
21.05.07. Spiegel.de.
ITALY
Italy sending new helicopters, armored vehicles and 145 more troops to Afghanistan
15.05.07. AP / IHT.
AFGHANISTAN: BUSH 'CAN ASK ITALY TO UP NATO MISSION' IN DIRECT TALKS
22.05.07. adnki.com
Italian foreign minister raps Bush over Afghanistan plea
22.05.07. Monsters and critics.
NETHERLANDS
"Netherlands should not extend Uruzgan"
09.05.07. expatica. "If we don't make it clear that the allies cannot count on us forever, it is going to end badly. It will become a mission without end." .. "We must not become the victim of our idealism."
Afghanistan could be "endless mission"
10.05.07. Pak tribune / ICH. Former defence minister Joris Voorhoeve warns that the Dutch peacekeeping role in Afghanistan will be an `endless mission` unless the government sets clear limits on the availability of its troops in the region.
POLAND
1,000 Polish troops more to Afghanistan
10.05.07. new kerala.
Poland not planning to deploy tanks in Afghanistan: defence minister
24.05.07. Pak Tribune.
UNITED KINGDOM
British soldier killed in Afghanistan
03.05.07. Reuters / Scotsman.
A bloody legacy: Blair's disastrous war in Iraq has made Britain a more dangerous place
06.05.07. F. Elliot, Independent/ ICH. But just as [al-Qa'ida] was
on the "back foot" after the enforced removal of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, Professor Wilkinson says the invasion of Iraq gifted it a lifeline. "Nobody could credibly argue that [the invasion of] Iraq caused terrorism, but to pretend that it does not exacerbate it was really foolish."
Overstretched Army officers consider quitting
08.04.07. Thomas Harding, Telegraph/anti-warmcom. Two-thirds of officers and 40 per cent of other ranks questioned said constant operations had fuelled their intention to quit the Army.
War Pimp Alert: “Iran seeking conflict by proxy in Afghanistan" 09.05.07. iranmania. Defence Secretary Des Browne said there were signs that Iran was helping the Taliban fight coalition forces in Afghanistan, AFP reported. BUT Iranian weapons in Afghanistan 'not from government' 09.05.07. forbes. General Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of United States, said last month US-led coalition forces had found Iranian-made mortars and explosives in Afghanistan that were destined for the Taliban. The NATO-led force has said it was looking into weapons with Iranian markings that were intercepted in Afghanistan, but there were no indications they were provided by the Iranian government. |
The Kennedy myth rises again'
11.05.07. John Pilger, New Statesman / ICH. "I believe that in this generation those with the courage to enter the moral conflict will [walk down] the road history has marked for us... building a new world society...". That was Robert Kennedy, quoted by Brown, celebrating a notion of empire whose long trail of blood will surely follow him to Downing Street.’
£16bn Army contract delay our fault, admits Whitehall
12.05.07. Russell Hotten, Telegraph. Defence ministers have bowed to criticism from MPs and industry and admitted that the award of a £16bn contract for much-needed new vehicles for the Army has taken far too long. The Government promised yesterday that the programme was being accelerated, but rejected claims that political considerations were getting in the way of the Army's urgent need for the vehicles. In February, a report from the House of Commons defence committee said that the contract for new armoured vehicles, called Future Rapid Effect System (FRES), had been a "sorry story of indecision, constantly changing requirements, and delay." The committee said that six years after the MoD identified a need for the new vehicles, which would have been invaluable in Iraq and Afghanistan, FRES remained little more than "a concept".
Britain fights to curb US Afghan onslaught
13.05.07. C. Lamb, Times on line. BRITAIN will step up its presence in Afghanistan this week with the deployment of a high-profile new ambassador (Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles) as concern mounts that the toll of civilians killed in the war is setting back the coalition’s efforts to win Afghan “hearts and minds”. .. There is growing alarm over a wave of US bombing raids in which 110 civilians have died in the past two weeks. Twenty-one people were killed last week after US special forces called in airstrikes on the town of Sangin in Helmand province. “Sometimes you wonder whose side the Americans are on,” said a British official. … In a sign that there is a great deal of catching up to do, the Foreign Office is sending 33 extra diplomats to Afghanistan. A senior official yesterday described the shake-up as an “upgrading” and denied that it was an admission of failure. … “The Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office have . . . written off Iraq and all attention is now on Afghanistan,” said a senior diplomat, pointing out that within months Afghanistan will be Britain’s biggest overseas deployment. Gordon Brown emphasised the point yesterday when he said: “Afghanistan is the front line of the war on terrorism.”
U.N. should lead Afghanistan peace effort: Britain
24.05.07. Reuters. Britain lobbied U.N. officials on Thursday with a proposal for the world body to lead a comprehensive "campaign plan" for peace in Afghanistan, where NATO-led troops are struggling against Taliban insurgents. This story rapidly follows Bush call for UN help in Iraq
4. Human Rights and War Crimes
“At Nuremberg, the United States pioneered the idea of holding governmental leaders responsible for war crimes.” Chalmers Johnson, Blowback, Time Warner reprint 2002, p. 70.
REPORTS
Older Report Released From Secrecy News :
The Military Commissions Act of 2006: Analysis of Procedural Rules and Comparison with Previous DOD Rules and the Uniform Code of Military Justice
26.01.07 (UPDATED) CRS REPORT.
Review of DoD-Directed Investigations of Detainee Abuse
DoD Inspector General. Secrecy News writes: “The Department of Defense did a poor job of investigating and addressing reports of detainee abuse committed in Iraq by U.S. military personnel, according to a newly declassified report of the DoD Inspector.”
Treatment of 'Battlefield Detainees' in the War on Terrorism
23.01.07 (UPDATED). CRS REPORT.
MAY 2007 REPORTS
Report: Using the War on Terror to Get U.S. Aid
Countries like Poland and Romania -- two of the European countries accused of hosting secret CIA prisons where terrorism suspects could be held and possibly tortured -- saw the level of their foreign aid from the United States skyrocket after the Sept. 11 attack. .. In the three years before 9/11, Poland received just over $33 million in U.S. military training and assistance. Three years after, the amount was nearly tenfold, more than $300 million in mostly Coalition Support Funds to reimburse expenses incurred by Polish forces in Iraq,
‘War on terror’
05.07. Amnesty International. In its international campaign against abuses in the “war on terror”, AI exposed and denounced hundreds of cases of torture and other grave violations of human rights claimed by states to be a necessary response to security threats. AI also strongly condemned deliberate attacks on civilians and indiscriminate attacks by armed groups.
AMNESTY INTERNTAIONAL REPORT 2007
FREEDOM FROM FEAR BY IRENE KHAN. Human rights - those global values, universal principles and common standards that are meant to unite us - are being bartered away in the name of security today as they were then. Like the Cold War times, the agenda is being driven by fear - instigated, encouraged and sustained by unprincipled leaders.
Amnesty international Regional Report on Afghanistan
Informative reports on Background; Conflict; Resurgence of the Taleban; Weak government; Detention by International Forces; Rights of Women and human rights defenders; Transitional Justice; Freedom of expression; Amnesty International reports / visits.
Amnesty International Regional Report on the United States of America
Facts and comments on detainees; Military Commissions Act; Renditions and secret detention; Guantánamo; Detentions in Afghanistan and Iraq; Unlawful killings by US forces outside the USA; Detention of 'enemy combatants' in the USA; Torture and other ill-treatment; Ill-treatment in jails and police custody; 'Supermax' prisons; Women in prison; Prisoners of conscience; Death penalty; Other concerns; UN Committee against Torture and UN Human Rights Committee; AI country reports/visits.
Red Cross Report Says Israel Disregards Humanitarian Law
15.05.07. STEVEN ERLANGER, NY Times / ICH. The International Committee of the Red Cross, in a confidential report about East Jerusalem and its surrounding areas, accuses Israel of a "general disregard" for "its obligations under international humanitarian law - and the law of occupation in particular."
COLLATERAL DAMAGE
22.05.07. Heller, Stites, Welsh. PUBLIC INTEGRITY REPORT. U.S. HANDS OUT VAST SUMS OF MONEY TO COMBAT TERRORISM WHILE IGNORING HUMAN RIGHTS RECORDS; LOBBYING KEY TO FUNDING FLOWS.
Mental Health Advisory Team Report
25.05.07. Global Security. The results of the Army’s Mental Health Advisory Team (MHAT).
ARTICLES
Women
Geneva Conventions Article 14
Women shall be treated with all the regard due to their sex and shall in all cases benefit by treatment as favourable as that granted to men.
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Forgotten women turn Kabul into widows' capital
17.05.07. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Independent. There are two million war widows in Afghanistan, and their plight is easy to forget in Hamid Karzai's capital, where Western-style shopping malls, bars and French restaurants are opening up for wealthy foreign aid workers and Afghan expatriates.
Afghanistan lower house removes controversial female MP
21.05.07. The Jurist.
Video
Video
Afghan women cry for help. 3 Min. Video : Self-immolation by women continues to be a problem in the Afghan province of Herat, with on average 10 women a month attempting suicide by setting themselves on fire. Not all of them succeed.
Freedom of speech
Military bloggers curtailed
http://blog.wired.com/defense/files/army_reg_530_1_updated.pdf
Secrecy News writes; "The terms of the Army regulation are so expansive as to create innumerable new opportunities for violations and infractions. . Just this week, for example, the Army's own 1st Information Operations Command ironically posted a briefing on "OPSEC in the Blogosphere," marked For Official Use Only: See here
WATADA, (see here)
Army court issues partial stay in Watada court-martial
18.05.07. Honolulu advertiser.
Torture
Former CIA director denies use of torture in interrogations
30.04.07. The Jurist.
How Rumsfeld Micromanaged Torture
30.04.07. A. Cockburn, Counterpunch / ICH.
General Petraeus Warns Against Using Torture
11.05.07. T. Ricks, Washington Post. ‘The top US commander in Iraq admonished his troops over the results of an Army survey which found that many US military personnel in Iraq are willing to tolerate some torture of suspects and unwilling to report abuse by comrades.’ (And how does the top NATO commander in Afghanistan feel about this, having – it is alleged - worked at Guantanamo?)
Of Actions and Consequences, Torture and Troops
‘We listened as his soul cracked.’ - Former inmate of Abu Ghraib
15.05.07. William Rivers Pitt, Truth out. It was theoretical at the time, that debate, an exercise in nationalist rhetoric and sound-bite showmanship. ‘Recall, for context, our national debate over torture, renditions, and the rights of prisoners captured in the "War on Terror." Recall the secret memos, endorsed by then-White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales, that slapped aside Geneva Convention prohibitions against the torture of prisoners. Recall Abu Ghraib, and the shameful photos documenting the absence of those prohibitions in living, bleeding color. … It isn't theoretical anymore.’
Terror Suspect Claims CIA Tortured Him
15.05.07. KSDK / ICH. A Pakistani terrorism suspect denied any connection to al-Qaida and said he was tortured and his family was hounded by U.S. authorities, according to a transcript released Tuesday by the Pentagon.
An Interrogation Role Model
30.05.07. Collateral Damage, Public Integrity Report. U.S. picked up tactics – including torture – from Israeli intelligence.
RENDITION and SECRET PRISONS REPORT Report: Using the War on Terror to Get U.S. Aid 24.05.07. NPR. Many U.S. allies in the war on terror supported the Bush administration's anti-terrorism policies in an effort to get more foreign aid, according to a new series of reports in the Center For Public Integrity's ongoing series "Collateral Damage." This new wave of foreign lobbying, combined with an emphasis "on counterterrorism objectives over broader human rights concerns," has cost the United States both financially and politically, according to the center's reports. Countries like Poland and Romania -- two of the European countries accused of hosting secret CIA prisons where terrorism suspects could be held and possibly tortured -- saw the level of their foreign aid from the United States skyrocket after the Sept. 11 attack. In the three years before 9/11, Poland received just over $33 million in U.S. military training and assistance. Three years after, the amount was nearly tenfold, more than $300 million in mostly Coalition Support Funds to reimburse expenses incurred by Polish forces in Iraq, according to ICIJ's database of military training and assistance. Since 1998, Romania has received more than $100 million in U.S. military aid, primarily from the Foreign Military Financing program, which provides grants to buy U.S. military equipment and services. According to the reports, many of the countries that received increases in U.S. foreign aid also saw an increase in human rights violations. ARTICLES Italy judge rules CIA abduction trial can go forward 04.05.07. The Jurist. Of Actions and Consequences, Torture and Troops ‘We listened as his soul cracked.’ - Former inmate of Abu Ghraib 15.05.07. William Rivers Pitt, Truthout. It was theoretical at the time, that debate, an exercise in nationalist rhetoric and sound-bite showmanship. ‘Recall, for context, our national debate over torture, renditions, and the rights of prisoners captured in the "War on Terror." Recall the secret memos, endorsed by then-White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales, that slapped aside Geneva Convention prohibitions against the torture of prisoners. Recall Abu Ghraib, and the shameful photos documenting the absence of those prohibitions in living, bleeding color. … It isn't theoretical anymore.’ New Swedish Documents Illuminate CIA Action 21.05.07. C. Whitlock, Washington Post / ICH. Probe Finds 'Rendition' Of Terror Suspects Illegal UN torture panel presses Poland for details on CIA secret prisons probe 22.05.07. THE JURIST. Post-9/11 Renditions: An Extraordinary Violation of International Law 22.05.07. M. Bilton, Public Integrity / ICH. Some say lack of due process in kidnappings and detention at secret prisons amounts to war crimes MPs seek guarantees for safety of rendition captives 24.05.07. Colin Brown, Independent. A Strained Alliance 24.05.07. N. Heller, Collateral Damage, Public Integrity Report. Poland’s cooperation with the U.S. brings internal and diplomatic disapproval. Three years prior to 9/11, Poland received $33,242,000. From ’02 – ’04, Poland received $267,894,119 ASCLU sues Boeing arm over CIA rendition flights 30.05.07. ft.com. For papers written on the legality of ‘rendition’ see Rendition Video Video. Shedding light on CIA mystery flights BBC 23.05.07. … pieces together the jigsaw of "extraordinary rendition", the alleged illegal CIA transfer of terror suspects to secret prisons in Europe. In far eastern Poland in 2002 and 2003 strange planes landed on an old disused runway in a secluded forest - nine times. The airport was closed but Mariola Przewlocka, the airport facilities manager, was told to accept the planes or "heads would roll". Airport staff were told to stay away while the passengers were unloaded out of sight. Mini-vans with blacked-out windows drove them away to a former Soviet military intelligence base, where it is believed the CIA has its own zone. |
Torture
How Rumsfeld Micromanaged Torture
30.04.07. A. Cockburn, Counterpunch / ICH.
General Petraeus Warns Against Using Torture
11.05.07. T. Ricks, Washington Post. ‘The top US commander in Iraq admonished his troops over the results of an Army survey which found that many US military personnel in Iraq are willing to tolerate some torture of suspects and unwilling to report abuse by comrades.’ And how does the top NATO commander in Afghanistan feel about this, having worked at Guantanamo, I believe?
"Enhanced Interrogation Techniques"
25.05.07. Andrew Sullivan, The Atlantic/legitgov. "enhanced interrogation techniques" is a fairly decent English translation of the Gestapo euphemism "verschaerfte Vernehmung" which was the code word for torture in the Third Reich. Look it up.
An Interrogation Role Model
30.05.07. Collateral Damage, Public Integrity Report. U.S. picked up tactics – including torture – from Israeli intelligence.
GUANTANAMO Geneva Convention Article 3 The following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons: (a) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture; Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment; The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples. Article 13 Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated. Any unlawful act or omission by the Detaining Power causing death or seriously endangering the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is prohibited, and will be regarded as a serious breach of the present Convention. In particular, no prisoner of war may be subjected to physical mutilation or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind which are not justified by the medical, dental or hospital treatment of the prisoner concerned and carried out in his interest. Article 16 all prisoners of war shall be treated alike by the Detaining Power, without any adverse distinction based on race, nationality, religious belief or political opinions, or any other distinction founded on similar criteria. REPORT From the Amnesty International Report 2007 • 400 detainees from more than 30 nationalities were still held at Guantánamo Bay - the public symbol of the injustices in the “war on terror” – at the end of 2006 • 200 have staged hunger strikes since the camp opened • 40 have attempted suicide • 3 died in June 2006, after apparent suicides • An unknown number of detainees are held in other, secret, detention centres or “black sites” around the world ARTICLES Senator calls for Guantanamo to be closed 30.04.07. Washington Times. Sen. D. Feinstein introduced legislation Monday that would require the US detention facility to close no later than a year from the enactment. Lawyers lobby US legislators to return habeas rights to Guantanamo detainees 01.05.07. The Jurist. Supreme Court refuses to bar Guantanamo detainee transfer to Libya 02.05.07. The Jurist. Another Guantanamo outrage 03.05.07. Boston.com/ICH. UNWILLING TO close Guantanamo, bring its prisoners to US soil, and let them fight their detention in US courts, the Bush administration now wants to shutter the one window the outside world has on the Kafkaesque conditions in the camp. It is proposing to clamp down on the prisoners' only nonmilitary contacts, their lawyers. The US Appeals Court in Washington should reject this shameful proposal out of hand. Gitmo Detainess Are Still Stuck Down There 07.05.07. H Schwartz, legal Times / Truth out. The Bush administration this February won a court victory denying habeas corpus to alien detainees. Now, it is trying to deny the detainees the effective assistance of counsel. None of this should come as a surprise. Ever since President George W. Bush declared his "war on terror" in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he has claimed unlimited and unlimitable power under the commander-in-chief provisions of Article II of the Constitution. Since then, government lawyers have persisted in trying to prevent any judicial scrutiny of the president's actions in conducting this "war." Desperate days at Guantanamo as force feeding continues 08.05.07. Nat henhof, Napa Valley Register. Force-feeding is actually done by "strapping prisoners into restraining chairs while they are fed by plastic tubes inserted through their nostrils." US lawmakers introduce legislation to close Guantanamo prison 09.05.07. The Jurist. Jane Harman (D-CA) asserted “Guantanamo has become a liability. The real and perceived injustices occurring there have given our enemies an easy example of our failures and alleged ill intent. The prison is so widely viewed as illegitimate, so plainly inconsistent with America's proud legal traditions; it has become a stinging symbol of our tarnished standing abroad.” Action Sought on Journalists Detained in Iraq by US 09.05.07. Editor and Publisher. Details on Sami al Hajj, al jazeera photographer, detained in Guantanamo since 2001. U.S. Backs Off Limits on Guantánamo Lawyers 11.05.07. NY Times. There is a “But” to the story, however. On 12.05, DOJ withdraws proposed Guantanamo lawyer visit restriction. Habeas Corpus Evaporating 14.05.07. Aziz Huq, Tom Paine. Six months after Congress enacted the Military Commissions Act of 2006 with its eyes firmly on the polls, there have been many promises and proposals from legislators about how to remedy the damage done to civil liberties by that law—but little action. Despite the powerful advocacy of former military officials, religious figures, and law enforcement officials, Congress has as of yet failed to fix a single one of the MCA’s many flaws. … In particular, Congress made it easier to hold individuals without an adequate or lawful process to determine what they have in fact done to merit detention. It established a category of “Unlawful enemy combatant,” which is presently limited in function, but which may create an open-ended detention authority. … Today, habeas remains important because the executive branch still claims to stand above the law. For the habeas-stripping provisions, while written broadly, really focus on one problem: Guantánamo. … the White House decided instead that the President could declare categorically that anyone detained was an enemy combatant—without any individualized determinations. The president’s declaration, memorialized in an order issued in February 2002, was not an effort to reflect reality. It was a “because I say so, it is.” It was, in other words, an assertion of the unilateral power to define reality. US divulges new details on released Gitmo inmates 14.05.07. Alertnet. The Pentagon on Monday released the names of six former Guantanamo detainees who U.S. officials say re-emerged as Islamist fighters in Afghanistan after their release from the U.S. military prison in Cuba. Former Guantanamo military lawyer on trial for leaking detainee names 14.05.07. The Jurist. The true purpose of torture (14.05.07. Naomi Klein, Guardian) Guantánamo is there to terrorise - both inmates and the wider world; and Terror Suspect Claims CIA Tortured Him 15.05.07. KSDK / ICH. A Pakistani terrorism suspect (Majid Khan) denied any connection to al-Qaida and said he was tortured and his family was hounded by U.S. authorities, according to a transcript released Tuesday by the Pentagon. Guantánamo Detainees’ Suit Challenges Fairness of Military’s Repeat Hearings 15.05.07. W. Glaberson, NY Times. The military system of determining whether detainees are properly held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, includes an unusual practice: If Pentagon officials disagree with the result of a hearing, they order a second one, or even a third, until they approve of the finding. These "do-overs," as some critics call them, are among the most controversial parts of the military’s system of determining whether detainees are enemy combatants, and the fairness of the repeat hearings is at the center of a pivotal federal appeals court case. Judges Focus on Guantanamo Bay Tribunals 15.05.07. AP, Forbes. Two federal appeals court judges subjected a Bush administration attorney to intense questioning Tuesday as lawyers for prisoners at Guantanamo Bay pleaded for a broad court inquiry on behalf of the detainees. Judges Judith Rogers and Douglas Ginsburg expressed skepticism about government assurances that the appeals court will receive all necessary evidence in evaluating the detainees' status as enemy combatants. Appeals court hears challenge to Guantanamo 'enemy combatant' status 15.05.07. The Jurist. The US DC Circuit Court of Appeals [official website] heard arguments Tuesday in a case brought by Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] detainees challenging their designation as 'enemy combatants.' Last year, Congress passed the Military Commissions Act of 2006 [PDF text], which barred Guantanamo prisoners from challenging their indefinite detention but did allow them to appeal their "enemy combatants: status to the appeal courts. It’s Our Cage, too 17.05.07. Charles Crukak (ex commandant marines) and Joseph Hoar (ex commandant in chief to U.S. Central Command ’91 – ’94), Washington Post. ‘Fear can be a strong motivator. It led Franklin Roosevelt to intern tens of thousands of innocent U.S. citizens during World War II; it led to Joseph McCarthy's witch hunt, which ruined the lives of hundreds of Americans. And it led the United States to adopt a policy at the highest levels that condoned and even authorized torture of prisoners in our custody.’ U.S. House demands plan for Guantanamo detainees 17.05.07. Reuters. Earlier this week the White House warned lawmakers not to "micro-manage" the treatment of Guantanamo detainees, saying any bill that blocked the administration from detaining people it has designated as "enemy combatants" could provoke a veto. Harvard’s Kangaroo Law School: The School for Torturers 18.05.07. Francis Boyle. I am not going to bother to recite here all the grievous deficiencies of the Gitmo Kangaroo Courts under International Law and U.S. Constitutional Law. But suffice it to say that the Gitmo Kangaroo Courts constitute war crimes under the Laws of War. Suit claims U.S. illegally spied on detainees' lawyers 18.05.07. A civil liberties group seeks records from the NSA's warrantless wiretap program. ‘A civil liberties organization on Thursday sued the Justice Department and the National Security Agency in New York federal court, alleging that the government illegally spied on 16 lawyers who have represented detainees at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba.’ Ex-Guantanamo lawyers sue for recordings of client meetings 19.05.07. [JURIST] The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) [advocacy website] has filed a lawsuit on behalf of 16 lawyers who once represented Guantanamo Bay detainees to force US government agencies to turn over recordings allegedly made of the lawyers while meeting with their clients. The CCR filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit [complaint, PDF;… Guantanamo detainee threatens suicide in new letter 21.05.07. The Jurist. Jumah Muhammad al-Dossari [AI backgrounder], a Bahraini detainee that has been held at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] without charges since January 2002. The CIA’s latest ‘ghost’ detainee 22.05.07. M. Benjamin, salon.com / anti-war.com. Violations of medical ethics by our military 22.05.07. H. Brody, Daily News / ICH. It is a clear-cut violation of international medical ethics to force-feed hunger-striking prisoners. The American Medical Association is a signatory to the world codes of medical ethics that condemn this practice. Tutu compares horror of Guantanamo to apartheid era 23.05.07. The Argus / legitgov. Stark choice for Guantánamo detainee: stay in jail or face torture in home country 28.05.07. Vikram Dodd, Guardian. · London man cleared for release after four years · Lawyers demand that he be able to join family in UK Shrinks and the SERE Technique at Guantanamo 29.05.07. Stephen Soldz, ICH. Psychologists were central to the development of the abusive interrogation paradigm developed at Guantanamo and migrated to Abu Ghraib and other Iraqi prisons. Former CIA director denies use of torture in interrogations 30.04.07. The Jurist. Interrogation Methods Are Criticized 30.05.07. Shane, Mazzetti, NY Times. As the Bush administration completes secret new rules governing interrogations, a group of experts advising the intelligence agencies are arguing that the harsh techniques used since the 2001 terrorist attacks are outmoded, amateurish and unreliable. Saudi prisoner kills self at Guantanamo, U.S. says 30.05.07. Washington Post. Al-Amry had not met with a lawyer, been charged with a crime, and had trained with U.S. forces . ‘U.S. Southern Command officials characterized al-Amry as a midlevel [al-Qaida] operative who ran safe houses and fought against the United States in November 2001. The Independent says Al-Amry was in a ‘maximum-security’ cell. (Yes, well, we always did know that ‘security’ is a myth upon which the U.S. govn. and corporate investors make billions) Videos Video. Torture -The Guantanamo Guidebook . The Guantanamo Guidebook reconstructs the regime at the US's Cuban base. For 48 hours, seven volunteers are subjected to interrogation techniques known to be used in the camp, ranging from harassment and abuse to sensory deprivation - with shocking results. Video. Senate Revisits Military Commissions Act (16.05.07. Truth Out). The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing in preparation for an expected showdown with the Bush administration over the Military Commissions Act, which was narrowly passed last year. Congressional Democrats are expected to pass legislation this year to amend provisions in the act such as the denial of habeas corpus, the narrowing of the accepted definitions of "cruel and inhuman treatment," and the shielding of senior administration officials from accountability for detainee abuses. Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, was the first witness, and called the current treatment of detainees "un-American." Guantanamo is a focus. Video. The Genocide Group. Mark Fiore cartoon Geneva Convention Article 10 When prisoners of war do not benefit or cease to benefit, no matter for what reason, by the activities of a Protecting Power or of an organization provided for in the first paragraph above, the Detaining Power shall request a neutral State, or such an organization, to undertake the functions performed under the present Convention by a Protecting Power designated by the Parties to a conflict. If protection cannot be arranged accordingly, the Detaining Power shall request or shall accept, subject to the provisions of this Article, the offer of the services of a humanitarian organization, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, to assume the humanitarian functions performed by Protecting Powers under the present Convention. |
The “War on Terror”
REPORTS
'War on terror'
In its international campaign against abuses in the “war on terror”, AI exposed and denounced hundreds of cases of torture and other grave violations of human rights claimed by states to be a necessary response to security threats. AI also strongly condemned deliberate attacks on civilians and indiscriminate attacks by armed groups.
Freedom from Fear
ARTICLES
Terror war 'divisive'
24.05.07. Australian / legitgov. Fears stoked by the "war on terror" are dividing the world, Amnesty International said yesterday, attacking human rights abuses from China to Darfur, Russia and the Middle East. Human rights are flouted in Iraq and Afghanistan, on the front line of the US-led crackdown on extremism. "The politics of fear is fuelling a downward spiral of human rights abuse in which no right is sacrosanct and no person safe," said Amnesty chief Irene Kahn. "The 'war on terror' and the war in Iraq, with their catalogue of human rights abuses, have created deep divisions that cast a shadow on international relations." Amnesty says 400 detainees from more than 30 countries are still in the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, which it calls "the public symbol of the injustices in the 'war on terror"'.
Nations Use Fear to Distract From Rights Abuses, Group Says
24.05.07. Washington Post / ICH. "The politics of fear is fueling a downward spiral of human rights abuse in which no right is sacrosanct and no person is safe," said Irene Khan, secretary general of the human rights watchdog. Governments are undermining the rule of law and human rights with "short-sighted fear-mongering and divisive policies." (See Amnesty International Report 2007 above).
ARTICLES
Few US deportations terror-related: study
28.05.07. The Jurist. Only a handful of deportations sought by US immigration authorities between 2004 and 2006 resulted from terrorism charges, according to a study [text] released Sunday by a research institute at Syracuse University.
U.N.: WAR ON TERROR ERODING HUMAN RIGHTS
31.05.07. Washington Times.
War Crimes Cheney accused on prisoner abuse 29.11.05. A top aide (Col Wilkerson) to former Secretary of State Colin Powell has launched a stinging attack on US Vice-President Dick Cheney over abuse of prisoners by US troops. (Col Wilkerson) ‘said that he laid the blame on the issue of prisoner abuse and post-war planning for Iraq "pretty fairly and squarely" at Mr Cheney's feet.’ Former Powell aide says Bush, Cheney guilty of 'high crimes' 10.05.07. Nick Juliano, Raw Story. "Bill Clinton's peccadilloes ... pale in significance" when compared to the "high crimes and misdemeanors" of Bush and Cheney. Cheney criticizes the Geneva Conventions in Military Academy commencement address 26.05.07. Raw Story. |
Treasury terror watch list facing FOIA lawsuit
17.05.07. [JURIST] The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCR) [advocacy website] filed a lawsuit [complaint, PDF; press release, PDF] against the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) [official website] Wednesday requesting the public disclosure of a terrorist watch list containing more than 6,000 names. LCCR requested the document in 2005 …
Bush administration removed and obfuscated human rights mechanisms - UN expert
25.05.07. Press esc. Since September 11, Bush administration has removed or obfuscated mechanisms for the protection of rights enshrined in the US Constitution and international charters, according to UN Special Rapporteur.
UN rights investigator says US committing violations
26.05.07. The Jurist.
Impeachment
Detroit council urges Bush impeachment
17.05.07. Sacbee. The Detroit City Council called for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, unanimously passing a resolution sponsored by a Democratic congressman's wife.
The nonbinding resolution, approved Wednesday, says Bush and Cheney conspired to defraud the United States by "intentionally misleading Congress and the public regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify the war."
Democrats in Washington want to keep impeachment off the table
28.05.07. McClatchy. The push to impeach President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney is gaining a hearing in some parts of the country, but not in Washington.
Conyers endorses national effort to impeach Bush, Cheney
AP. U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., said Tuesday he supports a national effort calling for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, but stopped short of pledging to take action to back it.
Repudiation, Not Impeachment
31.05.07. Scott Ritter, Truthdig / ICH. Any effort to impeach Bush and any of his administration found to be engaged in activities classifiable as "high crimes and misdemeanors" would fail to rein in the unitary executive core of any successor. One only has to listen to the rhetoric of the Democratic candidates for president to understand that this trend is as deeply rooted among them as it is with President Bush.
See also: The Appropriate Disillusionment of Andrew Bacevich and Cindy Sheehan(31.05.07) Gary Leupp, Dissident Voice. “It’s the Way Our System Works”
5. Dead and Wounded
See: Dead in Afghanistan: May 2007 (29.05.07. Sarah Meyer, Index Research)
add:
Brain Trauma signature injury of wars in Afghanistan, Iraq
28.05.07.S. Lengell, Washington Times. ‘More than 15,000 U.S. military personnel have been injured by explosive blasts in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001 … the most common cause of brain injuries.’
At Walter Reed hospital, 2,130 military personell who served in iraq and Afghanistan were treated for TBI (traumatic brain injury) between January 2003 and March 2007.
6. Future Dead
See: Dead in Afghanistan (29.05.07. Sarah Meyer, Index Research)
REPORTS
Add:
Also: from
Secrecy News :
Nuclear Weapons: Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
24.05.07. (updated). CRS Report
Nuclear watchdog's attack warning
31.05.07. BBC. The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog has given one of his sternest warnings against using military action to halt Iran's uranium enrichment programme.
7. Book Reviews
Andrew Bacevich
The Imperial Tense: Prospects and Problems of American Empire , Ivan Dee, September 2003
The Long War: A New History of U.S. National Security Policy Since World War II, Columbia Univ. Press, June 15 2007 (hardback).
The New American Militarism (paperback), Oxford University Press, August 2006.
Mohsin Hamid
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Hamish Hamilton, March 2007.
E.J. Hobsbawm
Globalisation, Democracy and Terrorism
Little, Brown July 2007. See extract here
Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns (19.05.07. N. Walter, Guardian Review). Review of Khaled Hosseini’s 2nd book about Afghanistan.
Chalmers Johnson: American Empire Project
Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire , Metropolitan Books, March 2000
Sorrows of Empire, Metropolitan Books, January 2004
Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic , Metropolitan Books, February 2007
Paglen / Thompson
Trevor Paglen and A.C. Thompson: Torture Taxi: On the Trail of the CIA’s Rendition Flights, Melville House; 208 pages). Review by Ben Terrall, Dissident Voice (03.05.07. .
Sir Michael Rose
04.05.07. Chris Floyd, Empire Burlesque. An excellent review and discussion on Sir Michael Rose’s book, Washington’s War. “Rose's insights are well worth reading. And his critique goes far beyond Iraq, to take in the underlying, bipartisan, transatlantic mindset that led to the launching of this vast (Iraq) war crime -- a mindset that was formed for many of today's players in the delusions and myths surrounding the much-lauded "humanitarian intervention" in Bosnia and Kosovo. ” NATO spin is devastatingly revealed.
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Sarah Meyer is a researcher living in the UK.
The url to Index on Afghanistan: May 2007, Part II is: http://indexresearch.blogspot.com/2007/06/index-on-afghanistan-may-2007-part-ii.html
The smaller url is: http://tinyurl.com/2u2mag
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Other Index Research articles on Afghanistan:
Index on Afghanistan (Updated to 31/08/06)
Index on Afghanistan : September 2006
Index on Afghanistan : October 2006
Index on Afghanistan : November 2006
Index on Afghanistan : December 2006
Index on Afghanistan : January 2007
Index on Afghanistan : February 2007
Index on Afghanistan : March 2007
Index on Afghanistan: April 2007: Murder in Nangarhar
Index on Afghanistan: May 2007 Part I
NATO: The Bathtub of Unreadiness (Updated 12/01/07)
Afghanistan : NATO is now US-ATO
There will be no further Index on Afghanistan articles until September/October. I had a stroke, and need my life back a bit!
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Tags : Index Research, Pakistan, Afghanistan, United States, UK, Canada, NATO, Amnesty International aireport2007, oil, Missile Shield Defense, Human Rights, Torture, Rendition, Guantanamo, War Crimes, Impeachment, videos
Labels: Afghanistan, Bantz Craddock, Guantanamo, Human Rights, Index Research; Afhanistan; Pakistan; Oil, Missile Shield, NATO, rendition
posted by Sarah Meyer @ 6/05/2007 08:10:00 am
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