Community | March 04, 2013 | 52 comments

UN demands prosecution of Bush-era CIA crimes

source: http://rt.com/usa/un-crime-cia-bush-804/

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letsliveinpeace

http://rt.com/usa/un-crime-cia-bush-804/

A United Nations investigator has demanded that the US publish classified documents regarding the CIA’s human rights violations under former President George W. Bush, with hopes that the documents will lead to the prosecution of public officials.

Documents about the CIA’s program of rendition and secret detention of suspected terrorists have remained classified, even though President Obama’s administration has publicly condemned the use of these “enhanced interrogation techniques”. The US has not prosecuted any of its agents for human rights violations.


UN investigator Ben Emmerson, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, said that the classified documents protect the names of individuals who are responsible for serious human rights violations.


“Despite this clear repudiation of the unlawful actions carried out by the Bush-era CIA, many of the facts remain classified, and no public official has so far been brought to justice in the United States,” Emmerson said in a report to the UN Human Rights Council, according to Reuters.


Kept in secret prisons around the world, the CIA’s detainees were subjected to torture including waterboarding, sleep deprivation and various other interrogation techniques that violate human rights. The detainees were often subjected to clandestine transfers to secret prisons known as CIA ‘black sites’.


“There is now credible evidence to show that CIA ‘black sites’ were located on the territory of Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Romania and Thailand, and that the officials of at least 49 other states allowed their airspace or airports to be used for rendition flights,” Emmerson said, describing how suspected terrorists were often detained without being charged for any crimes, receiving extradition procedures or having access to lawyers.


Emmerson has urged the US to prosecute any public official who was involved in setting up the CIA "black sites" at which human rights or legal violations occurred. Even though the Obama administration has condemned those who promoted the use of such facilities for inhumane procedures, the administration has taken no steps to punish any of its public officials. Attorney General Eric Holder has said that the Justice Department would not take legal actions against those who "acted in good faith" and followed the guidelines provided by the Office of Legal Counsel during the Bush era.


But without names and details about the involvement of US officials at CIA black sites, the government is maintaining a level of secrecy and “perpetuating impunity for the public officials implicated in these crimes,” Emmerson said. A Senate committee led by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) previously investigated the CIA’s interrogation program and may have had complete access to classified information about it.


Emmerson has called for this information to be published “without delay, and to the fullest extent possible.”


While the UN special rapporteur lacks the power to force the Obama administration to release this information, his report puts further pressure on the US government to expose a practice it publicly condemns, but continues to keep secret.

http://rt.com/usa/un-crime-cia-bush-804/
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52 comments // UN demands prosecution of Bush-era CIA crimes

  • PressCore
    • +1
      PressCore  

    • Still haven't heard anything from them about prosecuting Nobama's war crimes.
      Bush Dark's shit stinks every bit as much as Bush Lite's shit stinks you know.

    • 2 months ago
  • buddhawoman
    • +1
      buddhawoman  

    • I am finally glad UN is doing something to bring the Bush/Cheney on war crimes...The same should be brought into the USA to, because they did to us too. No, one has done anything about it...Lots of people here in jail on terriotism because they sproke up again the GOP, tea party when Bush/Cheney in office

    • 2 months ago
  • nanac
    • +3
      nanac  

    • I might be naive but I think that the Obama Administration will wait until toward the end of this term to try and bring some of these violators to justice. He would have an extremely difficult time trying to accomplish this sort of task right now.
      Great post! Thanks for posting....

    • 2 months ago
  • northernexpat
    • +6
      northernexpat  
    • nanac:

      You maybe right, especially with how the 'right' has treated him. He's tried to move on and heal the country while all they have done is degrade him for everything he has tried to do to move the country forward. Also, he should stop trying to protect the 'office' of the Presidency because by doing so, it makes the rest of the world think that the US thinks it's above the law.

    • 2 months ago
  • Incredulous
  • nanac
    • +4
      nanac  
    • northernexpat:

      You are 100% correct. I think that it might be much more complicated than meet the eye, he/his family's life could be in jeopardy if he chose to pursue such an enormous endeavor.
      It will be no easy task to bring the villains of the Bush era to justice!

    • 2 months ago
  • northernexpat
  • nanac
  • nanac
  • Joeydee44
  • Debra_
  • keithponder
  • Incredulous
    • +5
      Incredulous  
    • keithponder:

      Great video keith. I couldn't help contrasting the way Chavez has spent oil profits to improve the lives of the poor with the way the politicians in West Virginia have allowed the mountains to be destroyed, and kept WVA one of the poorest regions in the United States. Coal companies, who are assured of political protection, blow up the mountains, ship the coal to China, and pocket the profits.

      I was ashamed and disgusted with my country under Bush and Cheney.

      Obama's refusal to prosecute the guilty makes me sad and still ashamed.

    • 2 months ago
  • wolfess
  • Mark701
    • +8
      Mark701  

    • I admire this guys drive but there is no way in hell the US is ever going to allow the Bush cartel to be prosecuted.It would highlight the fact that we talk a big game about human rights but discard them whenever we see fit.

    • 2 months ago
  • MSII
  • Incredulous
  • alexandrekBack
    • +6
      alexandrekBack  

    • USA just enter the War crime rogue criminal country official list of the UN!
      Gonna hard to keep pressuring Iran when you just join the very same list!

    • 2 months ago
  • alexandrekBack
  • jackhole
    • +9
      jackhole  

    • They should go for the big dog. Bush needs to be held accountable for his crimes---America should be ashamed for putting that maniac in power twice.

    • 3 months ago
  • MSII
  • bailey78
  • artemis6
  • treewolf39
  • Radical_Centrist
  • jackhole
  • alexandrekBack
  • MSII
  • Varex_Sythe
    • +8
      Varex_Sythe  

    • Damn, its about time.

      Hell, maybe we'll even get to see Bush and Cheney prosecuted in a world court before Cheney manages to kick the bucket. It is unlikely, but maybe it will happen.

    • 3 months ago
  • bailey78
  • letsliveinpeace
  • Leen61
  • alexandrekBack
    • +5
      alexandrekBack  
    • bailey78:

      yes, but, this has a very strong symbolical and shameful impact for USA internationally.

      It's harder to give lessons on Freedom and bla bla when you are asked about war crimes yourself!

      it put the whole USA officially on the War crime countries

    • 2 months ago
  • bailey78
  • treewolf39
  • bailey78
  • MarshainFlorida
    • +7
      MarshainFlorida  

    • Applause! Excellent post. I think it's highly unlikely that the US will comply with any UN demands, but it sure has the power to make us look really bad untrustworthy in the eyes of the rest of the world. Inasmuch as our unjudicious Supreme Court has saw fit to put us in a "catch 22" position with regard to getting any justice here against truly corrupt politicians because now, when you don't want to provide evidene to supposedly prove your case, just declare it's "Classified."

      The UN does have the ability to bring down a whole lot of kick-ass on us, so it will be interesting to watch this play out.

      By the way, rt.com is the best, but also check out pdAmerica.org. They're on our side.

    • 3 months ago
  • letsliveinpeace
  • wolfess
    • +5
      wolfess  
    • MarshainFlorida:

      If we care (as Americans) how we look to the rest of the world I think we should comply with the UN's request. Our reputation is dwindling by the day, and while I realize Obama would prefer to 'move on' haven't we tried to do that over the past 4 years with very little luck? I seriously doubt that we will be respected again until we show we will not tolerate inhumane treatment of anyone, not even by a president.

    • 2 months ago
  • MarshainFlorida
    • +6
      MarshainFlorida  
    • wolfess:

      I don't know who down-arrowed you for this one but I upped it one. I for one do care how we look to the rest of the world. We have to live with the rest of the world, and hopefully we should look to living in harmony with it, and not as a bully. As far as "moving on" - that has proved virtually impossible with a fascist-minded, obstructionist controlled House and Republicans, though in the minority in the Senate, able to obstruct through b.s. filibusters. As far as the statement about not tolerating inhumane treatment, I'm not so sure how much say he truly has in that regard. If you've been watching lately, the U.S. Supreme Court has taken it upon itself to "rewrite" the Constitution to the point where being able to bring charges against "terrorists" in our own CIA or FBI, are impossible because now such conduct is deemed "Classified" making it impossible to go forward in any action to stop it. The Supreme Court has essentially taken what should be the authority of Congress out of Congress's hands and can, and has, overruled Congress where it has seen fit. The separation of powers seems to have died because of the 5 Rep.-picked Supreme Court Justices now sitting on the bench.

    • 2 months ago
  • attilatheblond
  • Incredulous
  • northernexpat
    • +5
      northernexpat  
    • MarshainFlorida:

      I agree with you. Bush didn't just damage the image of the US around the world, his appointments for SCOTUS has changed the country for the worse. SCOTUS now feels that have the power to make laws instead of interpreting laws. They also think that congress in incapable of making laws as they don't want to appear racist. This is a scary time for the US and it may not get better for years, if ever. I'm just hoping that it doesn't drag the rest of the world down with it.

    • 2 months ago
  • wolfess
    • +1
      wolfess  
    • attilatheblond:

      Thnx attila :-). As for the down-votes -- Liz Cheney has to make a living some way now that Daddy isn't in the 'official' gov't anymore, maybe she's the one with the account here :-) ...

      Pwr 2 the DOWN-VOTED peons!
      GUILLOTINE HYPOCRISY!

    • 2 months ago
  • MarshainFlorida
  • letsliveinpeace
  • MarshainFlorida
    • +5
      MarshainFlorida  
    • letsliveinpeace:

      The need to investigate that whole line of crap the created that boggus war in Iraq and bring down not only the CIA, but Bush, Cheney, and the rest of those war mongers. 9/11 was just the fuse they needed to put their Military Industrial Complex to work and stuff their's and their buddies' pockets.

    • 3 months ago
  • letsliveinpeace
  • MarshainFlorida
  • letsliveinpeace
    • +1
      letsliveinpeace  
    • MarshainFlorida:

      I disagree, have you actually heard of any obfuscation? I know many things that are transparent, such as his policy on torture, deficit reduction, and withdrawal from Afghanistan, drone program, nuclear weapons, and trade. Have you been keeping up? George W Bush destroyed our reputation around the world, not Obama.

    • 2 months ago
  • MarshainFlorida
    • +1
      MarshainFlorida  
    • letsliveinpeace:

      You know I've been paying very close attention LLIP. There is no way I'm going to understand why, if we voted for Obama to reverse Bush's policies - including his war policies - why did Obama keep Bush's henchmen? Of all the treasury secretaries he could have chosen, why Geitner, a Rep. from the Bush administration? Why step up the hated and very costly drone program? Why such a hard stance on whistle blowers? Why has Obama not sought to take action against the Bush war machine for getting us into a war under really false pretenses, and why are we still using government contractors who we know have ripped off the American people through cost overruns, shoddy workmenship such as the F35? There is a lot to sort through here, and until that veil of secrecy is lifted, his shining armour will still need polishing. I'm sure it's not easy for him. The CIA would probably love to figure out a way to off him without being suspected. It's not like the CIA hasn't killed more than a few presidents in other countries by bringing their planes down or blowing them up.

      The people of this country need to wise-up if they have any hope of returning it to a democracy. It's "almost" as though some of the voters believe that if they continue to vote for republican thieves, that some of their wealth will transfer or rub off on them. Fat chance.

    • 2 months ago
  • letsliveinpeace
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