President Barack Obama’s decision Wednesday to object to the planned release of photos showing abuse of prisoners in U.S. custody in Iraq and Afghanistan has drawn quiet praise from the military and some in Congress – and outspoken scorn from human rights advocates, a number of legal scholars and religious leaders, and many on the …
Continue reading “Rights Groups Slam Bid to Suppress Abuse Pics”
Pope Benedict XVI upset the schedule on his first day in Israel by leaving an interfaith meeting in Jerusalem early on Monday night after a leading Muslim cleric called on him to condemn the "slaughter" of women and children in the recent assault on Gaza. The pontiff walked out, a spokesman noted, because Sheikh Tayseer …
Continue reading “Pope’s ‘Pilgrimage’ Mired in Politics”
Updated at 6:47 p.m. EDT, May 14, 2009
What appears to be a series of targeted assassinations continues in Baghdad with attacks on Sunni Endowment members and newspaper employees. Awakening Council (Sahwa) fighters also saw attacks on them elsewhere. Overall, at least eight Iraqis were killed and 14 more were wounded. One U.S. soldier was killed in combat today, and more background information on U.S. soldiers killed in a fragging incident on Monday was released.
The U.S. military said yesterday that it’s charged an American Army sergeant on his third tour in Iraq with murder in connection with Monday’s shooting spree that left five fellow soldiers dead in a mental health clinic at Camp Liberty in Baghdad. Officials said Sergeant John M. Russell, a communications specialist with the 54th Engineering …
Continue reading “‘This Is Mental Health, Military-Style’”
Andy Worthington says a pile of lies is still lies
Ray McGovern badgers an official on torture
"An ethical train wreck" was the phrase used by one witness to describe the legal reasoning behind the Justice Department’s recently released memos justifying the use of waterboarding and other forms of "enhanced interrogation techniques." The phrase came during the testimony of David Luban, a law professor at Georgetown University, before a panel on administrative …
Continue reading “Senate Panel Probes Legality of Torture Memos”
Kelley Vlahos on the growing shadow army
Human rights advocates and legal scholars fear that the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama may resurrect the military commissions designed by his predecessor to try Guantánamo detainees after Obama’s 120-day moratorium on proceedings expires on May 20. That possibility appeared to move a step closer to reality when Guantánamo’s chief judge refused to delay …
Continue reading “Back to Military Commissions?”
Updated at 8:45 p.m. EDT, May 13, 2009
At least five Iraqis were killed and 13 more were wounded in the latest attacks, but security forces also found an old mass grave containing about 100 bodies in Diwaniya. No Coalition deaths were reported. Meanwhile, Iraq again claimed they have an al-Qaeda leader in custody and U.S. forces returned the ancient city of Ur back to Iraqi control.
