Bush Administration Report Slams UAE Detention Law Less Severe Than Its Own Policy
Bush Administration Report Slams UAE Detention Law Less Severe Than Its Own Policy
The 2005 U.S. State Department Human Rights Report issued last week criticizes the United Arab Emirates over its practice of indefinite detention:
Indefinite detention without charge is permitted upon judicial review.
…An anti-terrorism law passed in July 2004 allows public prosecutors to hold suspects in terrorism-related cases without charge for 6 months, an increase over the previous 3-week limit. Once a suspect is charged, terrorism cases are handled by the Supreme Court, which may extend the detention period indefinitely.
In other words, the UAE policy is actually far less severe than the Bush administration’s position. President Bush asserts that he has the authority to detain terrorism suspects indefinitely without charge — and has done so in the U.S., and at Guantanamo, Bagram and the CIA’s secret “black sites.” Also, indefinite detentions in the UAE are “permitted upon judicial review.” Enemy combatants in U.S. custody have no right to a judicial review.
Here’s what the State Department would write about the United States:
An anti-terrorism law passed in 2001 (Authorization for Use of Military Force) allows the president to indefinitely detain without charge any person he determines to be related to terrorist activity. A new law passed in 2005 (Detainee Treatment Act) means these terrorism suspects have no ability to appeal against their detention unless and until they are convicted in specially created military courts; however, the president is under no obligation to ever bring these suspects before any court.
Conveniently, U.S. policies are not covered by the report.
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19 Responses to “Bush Administration Report Slams UAE Detention Law Less Severe Than Its Own Policy”
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I do not see why any citizen of this country would in all honesty not object to this secretive regime of Bush and co. But then it is, perhaps, not “our” country anymore…
FIVE THOUSAND MILLIGRAMS
March 13th, 2006 at 3:56 pmCheck out this link for a good laugh.
http://www.comcast.net/ news/ index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/ 2006/ 03/ 13/ 344498.html
Bush is asking Iraqi’s to “embrace compromise”
On topic, I am glad to see that our human rights in the US match so well with other fundamentalist religious states.
March 13th, 2006 at 4:05 pmDoes this mean that the UAE won’t let us operate their ports?
March 13th, 2006 at 4:06 pmThe only reason Queen George the Dumb objects to the UAE terrorism measure is because he may very well be classified as the world’s worst terrorist and be subject to that law. Particularly so if the Port scandal is shot down.. He has no problem with the US policy because it applies to somebody else.
March 13th, 2006 at 4:07 pmIt’s a little hard to believe junior even shows is beady eyes in public anymore.
March 13th, 2006 at 4:17 pmPublic meltdown soon, followed by him being tarred & feathered.
Message from John Cleese (of Monty Python fame) to the
citizens of the United States of America:
“In light of your failure to elect a competent President of the
USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the
revocation of your independence, effective immediately. Her Sovereign
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all
states, commonwealths, and territories (excepting Kansas, which she does
not fancy).
More here.
March 13th, 2006 at 4:18 pmPot. Kettle. Black.
March 13th, 2006 at 4:26 pmI’m confused, the TP headline says that the Bush Administration is slaming the UAE, yet nowhere in the post is there negative references, and in the links I’ve been to so far, still nothing bad.
What kind of bias is this?
March 13th, 2006 at 4:41 pm#9: The State Dept’s Human Rights Report documents violations of “internationally recognized human rights.” In other words, the fact that it is included in the report itself represents the criticism.
March 13th, 2006 at 5:06 pm#6 Unbelievable
An interesting link but my answer is ” So I go, like, Hey Man, You Know, I ain’t done nothing, OK? which seems to be the exremt of the vocabulary of everybody under 30.
March 13th, 2006 at 8:22 pm#10
“exremt” equals “extent” when fingers are properly oriented vis-a-vis the keyboard.
March 13th, 2006 at 8:25 pmAn interesting link but my answer is †So I go, like, Hey Man, You Know, I ain’t done nothing, OK? which seems to be the exremt of the vocabulary of everybody under 30.
Comment by Clyde the Ripper — March 13, 2006 @ 8:22 pm
Clyde,
You’d be appalled if you spent a day in my classroom. I had to explain to some 14-15-16 year olds what the word ‘emit’ means… “Oh! I thought your were saying ‘omit’” Uh, a star omits wavelengths? How does that even remotely makes sense? And how can you possibly not have heard the word emits in regard to light and energy by high school?
March 13th, 2006 at 9:06 pm#13 Unbelievable
I wouldn’t be appalled, I would be gone!
Those of the age group to which you have reference do not, I repeat-DO NOT-speak the same language that you and I learned at the same age. I suspect it is a gradual thing in keeping with the old story of the farmer lifting the bull calf over the fence twice a day to feed him. One day the farmer had a little difficulty in accomplishing the task and he then realized (or is it realised) that the bull was a year old and weighed several stone more than when they started. I have noted several changes even among professional writers. One of the most irritating to me is the use of the verb “to bring” as a substitute for the verb “to take”. I learned a distinct difference between the two-similar to go and come-that is no longer recognized (recognised). I have one heck of a spell checker-it must have read your link-as it didn’t squawk at either spelling of the two words in question.
March 13th, 2006 at 9:38 pmMy chief school memory was picking Horatious as my prepared reading assignment and my teacher wanting to mark the poem as though I had written it (The assignment was just to bring something to read aloud in class, not create something original.) Something as badly wrong with the world if a English teacher tries to give a student a creative writing credit for Horatius.
March 14th, 2006 at 3:39 am#8 “I’m confused, the TP headline says that the Bush Administration is slaming the UAE, yet nowhere in the post is there negative references, and in the links I’ve been to so far, still nothing bad.
What kind of bias is this?
Comment by squegeeboo — March 13, 2006 @ 4:41 pm”
No bias at all. Assuming you’re asking the question in good faith, the report documents human rights abuses by foreign countries. As Nico said in #10, just being in the report is a slam on the policies and ethics of the stated country.
The point of the post is to show the hypocrisy of the Bush administration and the lapdog, spineless Congress. The United States of America now carries out the same human rights abuses as the UAE as a matter of policy and law.
Now when a country like Russia or Iran or Botswana gets slammed in the report, as they should be, all they need to do is turn around and point the finger back at us. Sure, that’s what they used to do anyway, but now they’re right, and that is a tragedy not just for the world, but for every citizen of this country and for what America was supposed to stand for.
March 14th, 2006 at 8:01 amPS: #12, Unbelievable, I don’t think 14-16 year-olds not knowing the word “emit” is such a huge shock, nor do I think thinking wavelengths were “omitted” is such a big deal. I mean, most people are ignorant of the EM spectrum anyway, and that seems like the correct age to be introduced to the concept.
I assume you set them right, and that’s the important thing. I remember when I first learned about the EM spectrum, I thought it was about the coolest thing I’d ever heard. (IIRC, it was from reading “Cosmos” in hardcover, not from any school science class.)
One more thing. . . one of my favorite books is called “Einstein’s Universe” by Nigel Calder. It’s cheap on Amazon, and is incredibly entetrtaining and mind-blowing.
March 14th, 2006 at 8:08 amI wouldn’t be appalled, I would be gone!
Fortunatley, it’s not ALL… and it is the few that exceed expectations that make it all worth teh rest of it. I have several who are brilliant and I loan them books from my own collection and they like to ask questions and learn. Those are the kids that make my job rewarding :)
Those of the age group to which you have reference do not, I repeat-DO NOT-speak the same language that you and I learned at the same age.
I agree. We weren’t allowed to be so lazy and rude. Our generation has done a rotten job in teaching our children manners and self-esteem. We’ve instead taught them, in general, to be whiny and obedient - not people who ask questions with respect and get excited about their lives. The level of apathy is appalling.
I brought up ‘Spirit and Opportunity’… Only 3 kids knew who they were. Oh, they are mostly interested in Space News now - but the fact that they didn’t know about Hubble either was really sad. I’m doing my best to push and challenge them, because I believe that we get what we expect… but it’s not easy.
I suspect it is a gradual thing in keeping with the old story of the farmer lifting the bull calf over the fence twice a day to feed him. One day the farmer had a little difficulty in accomplishing the task and he then realized (or is it realised) that the bull was a year old and weighed several stone more than when they started. I have noted several changes even among professional writers. One of the most irritating to me is the use of the verb “to bring†as a substitute for the verb “to takeâ€. I learned a distinct difference between the two-similar to go and come-that is no longer recognized (recognised). I have one heck of a spell checker-it must have read your link-as it didn’t squawk at either spelling of the two words in question.
Comment by Clyde the Ripper — March 13, 2006 @ 9:38 pm
I still think European children get a much better education than Americans, and have seen it in abundance in the use of vocabulary - especially when I read your news. I posted a joke message from John Cleese in another forum that you might like… it addresses such things. I’ve traveled through Europe a lot and I think there are things being done there that are not done here that make a huge difference. I loved how German school children are required to travel. Life is the best classroom there is.
America used to be the most educated country in the world. Now we’re 7th, and after a year in the system (this is my career change), I now know why…
It’s not that I want to bash my country, just try to get it back on the right track, and in admitting the problem exists has to be the first step.
March 14th, 2006 at 8:42 amI remember when I first learned about the EM spectrum, I thought it was about the coolest thing I’d ever heard. (IIRC, it was from reading “Cosmos†in hardcover, not from any school science class.)
One more thing. . . one of my favorite books is called “Einstein’s Universe†by Nigel Calder. It’s cheap on Amazon, and is incredibly entetrtaining and mind-blowing.
Comment by ElectricBassPlayer — March 14, 2006 @ 8:08 am
I’m trying to challenge them. Some hate it, some love it and most just do as little as possible to get by. I don’t just teach about one subject - I teach them other subjects that make Science ‘fit’ into the real world. It’s a new experience for many. But, I think I’m doing the right thing. At least I hope so.
I’ve not read “Einstein’s Universe”, but will have to get it at Barnes + Noble (found out that Amazon gives to the Republican Party). Thanks for the tip. I love to be entertained while having my mind blown :).
March 14th, 2006 at 8:46 amClyde,
Actually the Cleese post is above at #6….
March 14th, 2006 at 8:47 am