US quits Human Rights Council?

Sigh. One more fascist policy mess for Obama to clean up next year...

The Bush administration is showing it's true colors.

Obama's going to need all the help he can get next year. We've gotta get more active on the ground.

WHAT?! This is really going out with a bang. Jon Stewart joked early on this year that the Bush administration will royally screw this country up in the last year just for sh**s and giggles. I really think he hit the nail on the head.

Of course the fact that the Human Rights Council's member states are some of the most egregious abusers of human rights in the world makes no difference . . . right? This has far less to do with the Bush Administration and far more to do with the absolute corruption and moral bankruptcy of the United Nations.

Trouble is will it get cleared up, Think you assume Obama is going to win but i bet he doesnt, The powers that be prefer Mcain, more maleable

Excellent post. But what did we expect from the current administration

The US government throwing its dummy out of the pram again

Anyone feel sick?

I do.

The only thing this administration knows about Human Rights is how to remove them.

Our government can't possibly spin itself as compassionate Christian anymore, or whatever they're calling themselves now. They've been torturing people, abusing privacy rights, jailing children and lying to start wars, and now they go public with their lack of caring about human rights. Despicable.

I am so tired of being disappointed in my country. Exhausted.

More evidence of Bush Admin evil and that they have again, proven to be the anti-christs. Somewhere another baby angel is crying and somewhere another socialist is saying, "I told you so!"

Oh how I hope there is a calm during November so the elections go as planned... I hate to have to say that Obama is our last chance in returning our human rights and liberties.

It sure is gonna be a hall of a time running up to and including the presedential election

Just. Wow.

Better to quit, than get kicked out I guess?

Someone commented that the HRC member states are some of the most egregious abusers of human rights in the world. Whoever you are, you are absolutely correct. But check it, I was talking to my cabbie(cab driver) one night about the current state of the world and he made some of the most eloquent and insightful points i've ever heard. He likened the US and other "egregious H.R. abusers" to highschool bullies. The US is probably the most influential nation on the planet today. Other nations look to our country for what to do next. There have been many good things that previous administrations have contributed to the WORLD. However, in order to remain at the top, you've gotta be a bully somewhere along the line. Now here's where i hope you will continue to read: Despite my cabbies accurate portrayal(which i haven't relayed that well) of US policy I DO NOT AGREE THAT THIS IS HOW WE SHOULD ACT!!
I guess I'm kind of a wanna be hippy in that I think we should just treat each other with respect and empathy.
i'm tired of typing.

Well at least they're being honest about it.

The Human Rights Council refused to observe any market-based solutions to the problem. How can we affectively treat all human beings equally if we cannot agree how they should be turned into profits.

</sarcasm>

you guys aren't even looking at the big picture. Guess who rubs the Human rights council.


Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Zimbabwe and Libya.


What kind of council is that?? What do they all have in common??? THEY ALL HATE ISRAEL. These are the worst human rights abusers out there.

Well, one can say that Bush and company are consistent in their lack of concern for humanity from influencing the lie that Global Warming is not a major planetary issue, to attacking a country that was not a threat to us, to ignoring the Geneva Conventions and promoting torture, to removing rights to legal access by individuals, to deregulating industries that pollute or that lend, to cordoning off and sidelining those of us that protest their policies. Very consistent, in deed. And in this light, it makes sense for this administration to not support human rights in any way - regardless, what 'we the people' think about it.

The USA being one of the biggest abusers of human rights on the planet is understandably distancing itself from the Human Rights Council, has Israel quit the council already or is it about to do so soon? It must be quite embarrassing to be representative of either of these countries at that council.

FYI Emperor: so those countries see human rights abuses in Israel, big deal anybody who can read a newspaper or watch a television knows that. And I also take issue with your statement to the effect those countries hate Israel, they probably don't it just looks that way. Do you know the word Apartheid? In the world today apartheid is generally spoken of as something that is happening in Israel. It started in South Africa and was transplanted to Israel, what was given in exchange I don't know but it could not have been worth it. Just look at the mess!

I know that just cause the USA looks like it is turning into an Orwellian police state does not mean the citizens are all for it, quite the contrary I am happy to note, the majority of USAn's think and feel much as I do, they are absolutely opposed to the present course their country is on and find the present administration to be objectionably criminal. The majority of people in the USA do not hate the world. It just looks that way, judging by the actions of their government anyway.

if you take a look at the other countries on the list of that council you will see we are far from the evil americans the world seems to think we are when half the countries on that council have been committing infractions for decades

Hate, hate, hate.

I'm surprised that people who have this much hate in their heart could even begin to show love.

i have been seriously considering moving out of the us, instead i have decided to stay and fight

I don't understand how this administration is just fine with disappointing citizens in the U.S. and all over the world over, over and over again. Another notch in the belt.

THERE IS ANOTHER AGENDA, BUT THE PEOPLE ARE NOT A PART OF IT.

Wow. And people still don't care.

Oh right about now we need Eleanor Roosevelt who helped the great effort of human rights! she once said: Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people. We are all the ideas of a better and bright future! here here to PROGRESS!
CHEERS

if you think America is so bad, why don't you move to the middle-east or Africa.

Israel is the only place that gives essential human rights to its citizens and even some non citizens.

Why do middle-easten GAYS flock to Israel for assylum? http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/200...

What other nation in the area has women in the hightst part of govt??
[[ Tzipi Livni ]]

there are many other examples. the nation running the UNHR are doing the exact opposite.

Leave it to this administration to thoughtlessly throw the baby out with the bathwater, instead of trying to create some reform in this world. Oh, that's right, reform isn't in their vocabulary...come to think of it, neither is accountability or responsibility or a whole slew of other reasonable terms and practices... profitable politics only...as usual...

I agree with Emperor. The United States leads the way for human rights in this world. To all of the people who think otherwise, learn the history of this planet. People were really considered underneath the government, until the United States formed a Government Of, For, and By the People. It was the United States that stood up to world tyranny as the "Arsenal of Democracy". I guess other countries feel the need t insult the United Sates of America as a way making up for there issues. Name one country that has done more for Human Rights on this planet ever than the United States of America has.

Do any of you people jeering the US for leaving realize that in 2004, Sudan was unquestionably elected at the head of the Human Rights Council? A country that was not only incites a racist civil war for 20 years in the South, but also perpetuating a genocide in the east? Since 2006, The Human Rights Council has passed 9 resolutions against Israel, while towards Sudan, which has been in the midst of a genocide, they have only "expressed deep concern." Do you not see how much of a joke this committee is? Also, quick queston, who was the first country on the ground ready to help Burma?

I've made this point a million times before, but it looks like I'll have to do it again. BUSH HAS MADE A LOT OF TERRIBLE DECISIONS, BUT EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD THAT IS WRONG IS NOT SOLELY ATTRIBUTABLE TO AMERICA. Instead of jumping up right away with conspiracy theory accusations, or typing ridiculous bombastic comments like, "Oh, yet another proof of the evil empire who doesn't care about anyone," read, study, and make lucid arguments. Don't automatically just jump the gun right away, because you end up making yourself into a caricature and doing more harm for your side then good.

Seriously, I consider myself a liberal and progressive person, but some of you, with your absurd blanket statements and defense of anything that is anti-israel or anti-US no matter how blatantly wrong it is, makes me want to vote Republican. and I can't stand conservatives.

Emperor's right, btw. I think we can all agree that the Occupation needs to be corrected, but are you really going to try to make angels out of countries like Libya, Syria, Iran, and Zimbabwe. Do you know anything about the policies of these countries, the lack of freedom, the executing of gays? A lot of these countries use the Palestinian situation as a means of distracting their own populations and the world from the horrible things that go on inside them, and you all fall right into the trap. Stop reading conspiracy theorists online, pick up an encyclopedia, get a subscription to the economist, anything really.

dgold0101

Thank you. I agree with what you said. I am a little more moderate than liberal in my political views. You are right about people voting G.O.P. because the democrat part has been hijacked by people with such anti-American views.

Not defending by any account, not excusing his behavior. just saying that simple because people are against bush, against america, against israel, does not mean that they are righteous. All I'm trying to say is that the issue isn't black and white. Please read over my statement again. I'm simply applying rational and not letting my emotions get the best of me. Take a look at this story. The US decides to distance itself from the Human rights commission -> people jump to make statements saying, America is the evil empire, look at Bush and the US showing they don't care about human rights, etc. They make these comments, which is the common reaction, WITHOUT knowing anything about the history of the Human Rights Commission, without knowing the full story. They merely see Bush + America and automatically assume they are in the wrong without properly examining the situation and realize how much of a joke the HRC is. This is one example, but its a common response to anything involving Israel, Bush, and America. I am aware that all three have been in the wrong before, but that doest not mean that they are never in the right, and that does not mean that