News that some of the alleged 9/11 masterminds will be tried in a New York city civilian court is welcome news but Andy Worthington, a Brit who has written about many of the Guantanamo Bay captives, issues caution on Democracy Now!: Well, I think—you know, I think it’s very appropriate that it does take place…
Showing all posts tagged torture
Does Israel want to be respected or not?
Rami G. Khouri in Lebanon’s Daily Star writes that Israel’s unwillingness to abide by international law causes chaos in the global system: A series of recent reports and statements critical of Israel by respected individuals and institutions reminds us of a vital challenge to coherent national development and safeguarding the rule of law in the…
The crushing of the Iranian spirit
Iranian Ibrahim Sharifi protested during the recent post-election uprising. His story, told here in yesterday’s New York Times, is devastating: Mr. Sharifi was one of five brothers raised in north Tehran in a middle class family that was religious but not fanatically so. His father, a retired military officer, was a supporter of the 1979…
Iran’s true face is not hard to see
The New York Times writes a spot-on editorial: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran is preparing to come to the United Nations this month where he will enjoy the freedom to speak his mind. Back home, far too many people are denied their basic rights and are deprived of their freedom. Since fraudulent presidential elections in…
Torture sure makes America feel good
America is a torturing nation that threatens peoples families will be raped. Not to worry, says Dick Cheney, such methods keep the country safe: How to engender hatred of the US in a few easy steps (even John McCain seems to agree).
Iran knows a few things about torture
The New York Times publishes a powerful editorial on the crimes in the Islamic Republic: Longer than many people might have predicted, Iran’s political opposition is continuing to challenge the ruling hard-line mullahs. The street protests that shook the country after the bogus June 12 presidential election have faded, but the courage to speak out…
Jews killing Nazis is the dream
Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds is a Jewish revenge fantasy, showing Jews kill, maim and torture Nazis. I saw it last night and found it pretty entertaining, if a tad overlong. Witty, brutal, childish, surreal and self-referential. Don’t read too much into it and recognise that Tarantino isn’t really making any deep points about anything, and…
At what point will America be seen as the country it really is?
Atlantic blogger Andrew Sullivan powerfully opines on American torture and slams the media and political elites for looking the other way. Welcome to US exceptionalism: The descent of the United States – and of Americans in general – to lower standards of morality and justice than those demanded by Iranians of their regime is a…
Our closest ally supports the threat of rape
Salon’s Glenn Greenwald offers the best explanation of the kind of country America was during the Bush years (and Barack Obama is seemingly happy to keep the rendition program going to torture-friendly nations): The fact that we are not really bothered any more by taking helpless detainees in our custody and (a)… threatening to blow their…
Iran’s brutality spreads like a cancer
There have been countless allegations of torture and abuse at the hands of the Iranian regime since the disputed election in June. Now testimonies of rape and torture are being spread online. Here’s one: They took us with tens of others to Kahrizak camp. At least in that room that I were held there were…