Posted on 06/08/2003 10:31:30 PM PDT by sfwarrior
Scores of brutal regimes around the globe routinely maim, torture and commit summary executions of its prisoners, criminal suspects and political opponents. Many of them imprison and torture children or put them on the front line of wars and terror campaigns.
The torture that occurs around the world, best symbolized by the terror conducted within Saddam Hussein's fallen regime, is a prime example of humans' continuing inhumanity toward others. But the savage cruelty -- eye gouging, nail pulling, electroshock therapy, severing of limbs, gassing, use of mechanical shredders on live prisoners and employment of children in armies -- is not limited to a few nations. The barbarity is widespread.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Amnesty International chooses as one of the world's most terrifyingly repressive nations the United States.
Don't be surprised. What you had thought is a beacon of freedom and economic opportunity for millions around the world is in reality a hate-filled nation that condones terror, permits capital punishment, sells arms and conducts torture. At least that's what Amnesty, the respected human rights organization based in London, and the appeasement-Left crowd thinks.
The capitalist press has apparently duped you if you actually think America is a liberator and a nation that has fought totalitarian regimes throughout its history. Wrong. The millions seeking freedom each year, risking their lives and meager fortunes to get to our shores, are merely chasing a myth.
Forget countries such as Africa's Sierra Leone, which has been nearly totally destroyed by armed conflict in recent years. Rebel forces have abducted, mutilated, tortured, raped and killed civilians. Government forces have done the same. Both sides have also used children as combatants.
And other nations, such as Iraq, have imprisoned children as young as 8 years old.
Now, comes Amnesty, which has just released its 2003 report, which states that confirmed or possible extrajudicial executions or otherwise unlawful killings occurred in 42 countries last year. They include: Argentina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Colombia, the Ivory Coast, the Dominican Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority, the Philippines, the Republic of Congo, Russia, Rwanda, the Solomon Islands, Sudan, Thailand, Uganda, Venezuela, Yemen and Zimbabwe.
But this is by no means the entire list of rogue states. Others simply engage in the more run-of-the-mill torture: live amputations, eye gouging, electric cattle-prod therapy, executing children as their parents look on, etc. Amnesty maintains a running list of 106 states that engage in torture -- including the United States.
The leftist credo of Amnesty, which declares the United States bad and leftist totalitarian regimes good, has now infected what was once a respected human rights organization. Its leadership has been taken over by a cabal of activist leftists with a political ax to grind. How else can you plausibly explain an organization so intent on repudiating America for daring to take down totalitarian regimes? These are the governments that condone the real torture and brutal oppression of their own people. This is theoretically the very stuff Amnesty allegedly opposes. We don't see too many other nations stepping into the role of liberator.
Amnesty¹s members spend considerable time wailing and gnashing their teeth about alleged torture crimes, but when a powerful nation actually takes action to bring these dictators to justice, they just wail and gnash their teeth some more. At this rate, they won't have much in the way of teeth left to gnash.
The Amnesty report charges that "the United States...
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
CNN's admission that they had traded good PR for "access" to Baghdad tells it all. It's easy and safe to criticize the government which respects the First Amendment to the Constitution of the U.S. So criticize it they do. It would take actual courage to attack Saddam Hussain--so they did not.They are poltroons.
Are we hearing from Amnesty Intl. that political violence in Nepal, which has seen a coup from within the royal family and fierce incursions from radical and violent Maoists, and Fiji, which suffered a failed coup, is no different than in Myanmar and Zimbabwe, where the ruling leaders are engaged in wholesale murder, oppression, and torture of its political dissidents?
That is a fine example of lying with statistics.
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