U.S. cites China, Israel, Saudi Arabia for poor human rights

CNN ^ | March 31st, 2003 | Elise Labott

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Powell: "Where human rights and freedoms flourish, terrorists and tyrants do not thrive and conflict and chaos do not reign."

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Although noting some improvement, the State Department's annual human rights report once again accuses China of numerous, serious human rights abuses.

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((((((growl)))))

[EternalVigilance]

Wow, the forces of righteousness are on the march.

Awesome.

[EternalVigilance]

The criticism of Israel is grossly unfair, though.

Looks like self-defense to me.

[Sabertooth]

Israel gets it again. Gotta love our State Department, they really know how to stab an ally.

[Rodney King]

It added that at least 990 Palestinians were killed and another 4,382 were injured by Israeli forces. While the report said Israeli forces made efforts to minimize civilian casualties, they often undertook targeted killings in civilian areas that resulted in innocent bystanders being killed.

By that standard we ought to cite ourselves for the Iraq war. Of course the point is that this report is BS.

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The criticism of Israel is grossly unfair, though.

The Clintonistas got a bone.

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While the report said Israeli forces made efforts to minimize civilian casualties, they often undertook targeted killings in civilian areas that resulted in innocent bystanders being killed.

That happens when the brave "palestinian militants" are firing from behind women and children.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Although the Saudi government has taken some measures to participate in human rights activities, such as allowing a visit by the U.N. Human Rights envoy, it continued to view its interpretation of Islamic law as its "sole source of guidance on human rights," and does not follow international standards on the issue, the report said.

Accordingly, the government punished criminals according to its interpretation of Sharia law with methods considered torture by international standards.

Hmmm, I thought Islam was a peaceful religion and only fanatics use torture and violence to enforce its law.

[EternalVigilance]

That happens when the brave "palestinian militants" are firing from behind women and children.

Such is the coward's way.

[inquest]

No mention of Zimbabwe, of course. Guess that'd be too politically incorrect.

[lilylangtree]

"Where human rights and freedoms flourish, terrorists and tyrants do not thrive and conflict and chaos do not reign," Secretary of State Colin Powell said Monday at the rollout of the report. Now speaking of Israel, the only democratic nation surrounded by muslim despots. According to this report, the palis are being suppressed by Israel yet the palis keep re-electing araRAT, one of the most depressing, tyrannical despots in the muslim world equal to Hussein. Queen Noor and her palestinian daughter-in-law who is now Queen of Jordan have made their desires to help the palis quite public. All they have to do is open Jordanian borders, the true Palestine, to the palis, absorb them into an all ready existing cultural and religious palestine state, and thereby putting araRAT and his many terrorist groups out of business. Let the world arrest and prosecute these thugs and murderers for crimes against humanity. Palestinian problem solved.

[Torie]

While the report said Israeli forces made efforts to minimize civilian casualties, they often undertook targeted killings in civilian areas that resulted in innocent bystanders being killed.

I guess the US is going to be on next year's shit list. While I oppose Israel's settlements policy (and despite your hopes, most of those outside the Jerusalem area are going to be abandoned in time), the rap here is a bad rap.

[bribriagain]

"Israel gets it again. Gotta love our State Department, they really know how to stab an ally. "

Do you support US foreign policy in this region? A simple yes or no will do.

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While I oppose Israel's settlements policy (and despite your hopes, most of those outside the Jerusalem area are going to be abandoned in time), the rap here is a bad rap.

Agreed, the rap is bad.

We should get a map of the settlements to be abandoned, so we'll know for future reference where the palestinians will build the next generation of homicide-bomb factories.

[bribriagain]

Israel gets it again. Gotta love our State Department, they really know how to stab an ally.

Do you support the US foreign policy in the Middle East?

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Do you support US foreign policy in this region?

Not with regard to the "palestinians," and the efforts to strong-arm Israel into risking national suicide, no.

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I thought Islam was a peaceful religion and only fanatics use torture and violence to enforce its law.

So many myths, so little time.