“Enduring Freedom:â€
Streaker @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:07 am
Human Rights Watch reports on Afghanistan:
$1:
I. Summary
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States went to war in Afghanistan in the name of national security and the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, and with a stated secondary aim of liberating the people of Afghanistan from the cruel and capricious rule of the Taliban.
Yet today, on Afghan soil, the United States is maintaining a system of arrests and detention as part of its ongoing military and intelligence operations that violates international human rights law and international humanitarian law (the laws of war). In doing so, the United States is endangering the lives of Afghan civilians, undermining efforts to restore the rule of law in Afghanistan, and calling into question its commitment to upholding basic rights.
This report, based on research conducted in southeast and eastern Afghanistan in 2003 and early 2004, focuses on how U.S. forces arrest and detain persons in Afghanistan. It details numerous abuses by U.S. personnel, including cases of excessive force during arrests; arbitrary and indefinite detention; and mistreatment of detainees. The report also details the overall legal deficiencies of the U.S.-administered detention system in Afghanistan, which, as shown here, operates almost entirely outside of the rule of law.
In Afghanistan, United States and coalition forces, allied with local Afghan forces, are fighting armed groups comprised of members of the Taliban, the mujahidin group Hezb-e Islami, and a relatively small number of non-Afghan fighters, some of whom are associated with al-Qaeda. For their part, these groups have shown little willingness to abide by international humanitarian law or human rights standards: they have carried out abductions and attacks against civilians and humanitarian aid workers and detonated bombs in bazaars and other civilian areas. Those responsible for these violations, including the leaders of these groups, should, if captured, be investigated and prosecuted for violations of Afghan law and the laws of war.
But the activities of these groups are no excuse for U.S. violations. The Geneva Conventions do not require reciprocity to be applicable. Abuses by one party to a conflict, no matter how egregious, do not justify violations by the other side. This is a fundamental principle of international humanitarian law.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States went to war in Afghanistan in the name of national security and the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, and with a stated secondary aim of liberating the people of Afghanistan from the cruel and capricious rule of the Taliban.
Yet today, on Afghan soil, the United States is maintaining a system of arrests and detention as part of its ongoing military and intelligence operations that violates international human rights law and international humanitarian law (the laws of war). In doing so, the United States is endangering the lives of Afghan civilians, undermining efforts to restore the rule of law in Afghanistan, and calling into question its commitment to upholding basic rights.
This report, based on research conducted in southeast and eastern Afghanistan in 2003 and early 2004, focuses on how U.S. forces arrest and detain persons in Afghanistan. It details numerous abuses by U.S. personnel, including cases of excessive force during arrests; arbitrary and indefinite detention; and mistreatment of detainees. The report also details the overall legal deficiencies of the U.S.-administered detention system in Afghanistan, which, as shown here, operates almost entirely outside of the rule of law.
In Afghanistan, United States and coalition forces, allied with local Afghan forces, are fighting armed groups comprised of members of the Taliban, the mujahidin group Hezb-e Islami, and a relatively small number of non-Afghan fighters, some of whom are associated with al-Qaeda. For their part, these groups have shown little willingness to abide by international humanitarian law or human rights standards: they have carried out abductions and attacks against civilians and humanitarian aid workers and detonated bombs in bazaars and other civilian areas. Those responsible for these violations, including the leaders of these groups, should, if captured, be investigated and prosecuted for violations of Afghan law and the laws of war.
But the activities of these groups are no excuse for U.S. violations. The Geneva Conventions do not require reciprocity to be applicable. Abuses by one party to a conflict, no matter how egregious, do not justify violations by the other side. This is a fundamental principle of international humanitarian law.
Link
Link to index page
martin14 @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:17 am
from the report:
4 Belligerents captured during the international armed conflict between the United States and the Taliban should have been afforded the status of prisoners of war under the Third Geneva Convention unless and until a “competent tribunalâ€
Streaker @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:20 pm
A convenient cop-out. Par for the course for those with a disregard for human rights.
WhyTheFerret @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:23 pm
Another wonderful post by Streaker <3
Streaker @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:26 pm
Maybe you could try to address the topic at hand if you are able to.
WhyTheFerret @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:34 pm
Streaker Streaker:
Maybe you could try to address the topic at hand if you are able to.
Able? What right do I have to be able to reply to the topic at hand? As an American? Or maybe As a United States Marine? What right do I have to reply to you topic? You can't make a blanket statement that you try to encompass all of the united states/united states military. Hate our government all you want, but leave the rest of us out of it. I'd rather face court marshal then commit any of this stuff(whether it be true or not).
ManifestDestiny @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:02 pm
the marines are fighting against taliban out of uniform they have no protection from the geneva convention. My honest opinion they should shoot them asap if they show any form of beligerancy and it solves the problem of prisoners and all that crap
Streaker @ Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:14 pm
WhyTheFerret WhyTheFerret:
Streaker Streaker:
Maybe you could try to address the topic at hand if you are able to.
Able? What right do I have to be able to reply to the topic at hand? As an American? Or maybe As a United States Marine? What right do I have to reply to you topic? You can't make a blanket statement that you try to encompass all of the united states/united states military. Hate our government all you want, but leave the rest of us out of it. I'd rather face court marshal then commit any of this stuff(whether it be true or not).
I'm glad to hear it.