Afghanistan and Iraq: War Crimes Against Children ascribed to former President Bush

Afghanistan and Iraq: War Crimes Against Children ascribed to former President Bush

Afghanistan and Iraq: War Crimes Against Children ascribed to former President Bush By Sherwood Ross

Global Research, March 21, 2009

Torture has received the most attention among the many war crimes of the Bush administration. But those who support Bush’s pursuit of the “war on terror” have not been impressed by recriminations over torture. Worse than torture are the murders of at least 50 prisoners in Abu Ghraib, Afghanistan, and Guantánamo, but again the hard-hearted are unimpressed when those whom they perceive as terrorists receive illegal extrajudicial capital punishment. The case for abusing children, however, is more difficult to support. The best kept secret of the Bush’s war crimes is that thousands of children have been imprisoned, tortured, and otherwise denied rights under the Geneva Conventions and related international agreements. Yet both Congress and the media have strangely failed to identify the very existence of child prisoners as a war crime. In the Islamic world, however, there is no such silence. Indeed, the prophet Mohammed was the first to counsel warriors not to harm innocent children. From jailing children together with adults in prisons where they were raped to failing to notify their parents of their arrest, the U.S. committed numerous war crimes against children in Afghanistan and Iraq, a new book on President Bush states. “American guards videotaped Iraqi male prisoners raping young boys but took no action to stop the offenses (and) children in Abu Ghraib were deliberately frightened by dogs,” writes political scientist Michael Haas in his new book, “George W. Bush, War Criminal?”(Praeger), a question he answers in the affirmative. .... Professor Haas is the author or editor of 33 books on government and world politics. He has taught at a number of outstanding schools, including the University of London and Northwestern University. To receive his book, send check in the amount of $32 to Haas at P.O. Box 46127, Los Angeles, CA 90046. Haas may be reached at mikehaas@aol.com.

War on Terror: Demand the Truth

War on Terror: Demand the Truth

Dear friends, Let's find out the truth! Sign the petition for an independent investigation into Bush’s War on Terror. Sign the petition here This week, the US Senate is taking its tentative first steps towards establishing an independent commission into Bush’s War on Terror -- an open investigation into torture, detention, wiretapping and illegal transfers to secret prisons across the globe. This is a major development, but as expected there are very nervous and powerful interests who want to bury it. A Commission of Inquiry is essential to unravel the full extent of eight years of cover-ups, to hold those responsible to account and to prevent such injustice from happening again. It would send a powerful message that the US wants to repair the damage done to human rights by the Bush years, while strengthening the fight against terrorism. But without a massive global and US show of support, champion US Senators may not rally the numbers needed to have this commission established. Sign the petition -- which will be presented to the Senate Judiciary Committee before they make their decision this week -- and help get an inquiry with real teeth over the line: http://www.avaaz.org/en/end_the_war_on_terror After 8 damaging years, this campaign for justice has a lot to unearth. The hearing this week will begin a process throughout 2009, and as this petition grows, our voices will be submitted to decision makers at every opportunity. But it all starts with a thorough and unflinching Commission of Inquiry - not just to end impunity, but to make sure that the abductions, deaths and disappearances of Guantanamo are never repeated. Worryingly, the so-called War on Terror is not yet over. Last week the Obama’s Department of Justice argued, as they had under Bush, that detainees at the US facility in Bagram, Afghanistan have no legal right to challenge their detention. Conversely, in a major turnaround it was separately announced that the only remaining ‘enemy combatant’ on US soil is finally to be tried by a US civilian court. These conflicting decisions reveal an Administration still making up its mind. Now is the time to draw a line in the sand with a bi-partisan Commission that puts the past behind us and empowers an Administration committed to human rights, definitively rejecting torture, refusing to arbitrarily detain and championing the rule of law in its fight against terrorism and in all its global dealings. http://www.avaaz.org/en/end_the_war_on_terror As long as the wrongdoing of the Bush years is kept secret and those practices unaccounted for or allowed to continue, mistrust and violence between nations will flourish. Let's plant a seed of hope, understanding a shared commitment by reading this dark page in history before we turn it. With hope, Brett, Alice, Pascal, Ricken, Paula, Ben, Graziela, Luis, Paul, Iain, Milena, Veronique - and the entire Avaaz team More information on the Commission of Inquiry: http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-02-25-voa58.cfm What Amnesty says about a Commission: Investigation, prosecution, remedy http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/151/2008/en Some options for the Administration http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/weekinreview/22shane.html More about the Senate Judiciary Committee http://judiciary.senate.gov/ ------------ ABOUT AVAAZAvaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in Ottawa, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Buenos Aires, and Geneva. Call us at: +1 888 922 8229 or +55 21 2509 0368 Click here to learn more about our largest campaigns. Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Myspace and Bebo pages! You are getting this message because you signed "Rights, not Guns for Zimbabwe" on 2008-05-01 using the email address mikezimmer-prog@islandnet.com. To ensure that Avaaz messages reach your inbox, please add avaaz@avaaz.org to your address book. To change your email address, language settings, or other personal information, https://secure.avaaz.org/act/index.php?r=profile&user=fc13410a109c549f6323262600fd5611〈=en, or simply go here to unsubscribe. To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to info@avaaz.org. You can also call us at +1-888-922-8229 (US) or +55 21 2509 0368 (Brazil) If you have technical problems, please go to http://www.avaaz.org