U.S. 'Thumbs Its Nose' at Rights, Amnesty Says

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/26/international/europe/26amnesty.html?

May 26, 2005

U.S. 'Thumbs Its Nose' at Rights, Amnesty Says

By ALAN COWELL
LONDON, May 25 - In coordinated broadsides from London and Washington, Amnesty International accused the Bush administration on Wednesday of condoning "atrocious" human rights violations, thereby diminishing its moral authority and setting a global example encouraging abuse by other nations.

In a string of accusations introducing the organization's annual report in London, Irene Khan, Amnesty's secretary general, listed the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the detention of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and the so-called rendition of prisoners to countries known to practice torture as evidence that the United States "thumbs its nose at the rule of law and human rights."

Defending its human rights record as "leading the way," the White House dismissed the accusations as ridiculous and unfounded.

Ms. Khan labeled the United States detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, where more than 500 prisoners from about 40 countries are being held, as "the gulag of our times." .....

But as long as Joe Couchpotato gets his beer, Big Mac, and reality TV he's content.

(Now, where'd I put the rest of my Big Mac? <burp!> )

Not a peep from the sheep either.

In response, Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, said: "I think the allegations are ridiculous, and unsupported by the facts. The United States is leading the way when it comes to protecting human rights and promoting human dignity. We have liberated 50 million people in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have worked to advance freedom and democracy in the world so that people are governed under a rule of law, that there are protections in place for minority rights, that women's rights are advanced so that women can fully participate in societies where now they cannot."

"We've also - are leading the way when it comes to spreading compassion," Mr. McClellan said. "The United States leads the way when it comes to providing resources to combat the scourge of AIDS."

Scotty, you pathetic mendacious twit, does your mother know you've painted the sky green and the grass blue?

Up is down
Black is white
Et cetera....