Human Rights Watch published a highly disturbing study today on the deliberate use of torture by U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan.
The report states:
"There is compelling evidence suggesting that U.S. personnel have committed acts against detainees amounting to torture or cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment," said Adams.
The report also describes frequent arbitrary arrests of civilians, apparently based on mistaken or faulty intelligence, and numerous cases of civilians--grocers, farmers, or laborers--who were held incommunicado and indefinitely.
"The Taliban and other insurgent groups are illegally targeting civilians and humanitarian aid workers," said Adams. "But abuses by one party to a conflict do not justify violations by the other side. This is a fundamental principle of the laws of war."
The continuing violations of international humanitarian law by the U.S. sends a devastating signal to the rest of the world. Just like the U.S. refusal to join the International Criminal Court it shows that one of the world's superpowers does not want to play with the same rules they want all others to respect.
I believe any new democratic administration has to empty the illegal prison camps at Guantanamo and shall stop to use countries like Jordan as torture agents.
John Kerry set an example as a Vietnam War opponent. I hope he will continue to so as a presidential candidate. He should vote to reinstate the Carter doctrine, forbidding murder by the U.S. intelligence services.
One last comment: I wonder why everyone is so eager to prove that the picture of Jane Fonda and Kerry was a fake. He should be proud of it. Because she was right.
Click here for the HRW News Release.
Click here for the full report.