Electric Politics | US Walked Back, Slightly

Prison Camp ABC news wants to charge you $15 for the transcript of World News Tonight!? When NBC provides its transcripts free! I wouldn't have noticed this except that I haven't completely broken the habit of tuning in to ABC, developed while the late Peter Jennings was there, so I happened to see a George Stephanopoulos story on Bush's concession on anti-torturer legislation and later wanted to read the transcript. Stephanopoulos -- he's not at all alone (see, for example, this report in the Washington Post) -- doesn't get it that there's an important backdrop to the White House's decision on torture, namely, that the Europeans are not playing ball. Possibly Bush would have given ground to the McCain amendment strictly on its own merits or political force. We don't know. What we do know is that Condi just got back from Europe and no matter how effectively her entourage spun the trip (see here, here, here, and here) the fact is that the Europeans told her they would continue to pursue allegations of torture flights and, indeed, they are. As much as anything else they have walked the Bush regime back a half step...

This is a story with legs. When the Defense Department's own reports indicate numerous detainees died as a result of 'mistreatment', e.g., being tortured to death, there are serious people who want to know more. No doubt there's much more to be learned: It's reasonable to believe reports that 'black' 'detention centers' were moved from Europe to North Africa immediately before Condi's trip. And it's reasonable to assume the worst about those -- let's not mince words -- new torture camps. Though the Bush regime would much prefer to keep on doing what it's doing, it is under increasing, relentless pressure to conform to international norms. And it's gradually backing up. The remaining question is whether, and when, Bush regime officials will be prosecuted by international courts for gross violations of human rights.



Home FAQ Contact Archive EP Store EP Alerts © 2009 ElectricPolitics	US Walked Back, Slightly ABC news wants to charge you $15 for the transcript of World News Tonight!? When NBC provides its transcripts free! I wouldn't have noticed this except that I haven't completely broken the habit of tuning in to ABC, developed while the late Peter Jennings was there, so I happened to see a George Stephanopoulos story on Bush's concession on anti-torturer legislation and later wanted to read the transcript. Stephanopoulos -- he's not at all alone (see, for example, this report in the Washington Post) -- doesn't get it that there's an important backdrop to the White House's decision on torture, namely, that the Europeans are not playing ball. Possibly Bush would have given ground to the McCain amendment strictly on its own merits or political force. We don't know. What we do know is that Condi just got back from Europe and no matter how effectively her entourage spun the trip (see here, here, here, and here) the fact is that the Europeans told her they would continue to pursue allegations of torture flights and, indeed, they are. As much as anything else they have walked the Bush regime back a half step... This is a story with legs. When the Defense Department's own reports indicate numerous detainees died as a result of 'mistreatment', e.g., being tortured to death, there are serious people who want to know more. No doubt there's much more to be learned: It's reasonable to believe reports that 'black' 'detention centers' were moved from Europe to North Africa immediately before Condi's trip. And it's reasonable to assume the worst about those -- let's not mince words -- new torture camps. Though the Bush regime would much prefer to keep on doing what it's doing, it is under increasing, relentless pressure to conform to international norms. And it's gradually backing up. The remaining question is whether, and when, Bush regime officials will be prosecuted by international courts for gross violations of human rights. Posted by George Kenney on December 16, 2005 1:39 AM « Diebold CEO, Under Fire, Resigns \| Main \| Who's Minding the Spies? » Share this post: Leave a comment Name Email Address URL Remember personal info? Comments (You may use HTML tags for style)

US Walked Back, Slightly

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