Citizens for Global Solutions Blog: Interrogation & Rendition

Results of "Responsible U.S. Global Engagement" call

don — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:29:01 -0700

What a wonderful turnout we had for last Saturday's Responsible US Global Engagement call! 184 chapter leaders and activists of CGS and our co-sponsoring organizations took time out on a Saturday to phone in and hear about our priorities for the beginning of the Obama administration, as well as those of some other organizations that are working on the same issues. Most importantly, we went over some specific ways CGS members in every state can help achieve these foreign policy goals. We want make sure our goals become priorities for the Obama administration and that our constituents play a role in drawing up policies on the United Nations, human rights, climate change and arms control.

Mary Jo Kilroy in squeaker race again, pulls off win!

dasson — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:07:43 -0700

In 2006, just like Eric Massa in upstate New York, Mary Jo Kilroy lost a tight race in Ohio's 15th District. Her race in the Columbus suburbs wasn't decided until mid-December of that year. This time around, she got her victory. The race wasn't a rematch since her 2006 opponent has retired. But, she battled state Senator Steve Stivers in a contest that stretched long past Election Day. It was worth the wait. Congresswoman-elect Kilroy will be joining the incoming freshmen class of the 111th Congress.

UN Expert Warns: Torture is still Common Practice

arokke — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:44:02 -0600

October 23, 2008 - NEW YORK - On Friday, the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly held an interactive discussion with the UN expert on torture. At the Assembly, Manfred Nowak , the UN Special Rapporteur on the subject, conveyed his disappointment that "torture is still a frequent or even standard practice in many countries, even 60 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

California becomes first U.S. State to ban Torture

arokke — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:35:33 -0600

On August 13, 2008 the state of California passed Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 19 , which effectively prevents any California healthcare professional from engaging in torture, as defined by international standards.

The resolution comes in reaction to President Bush's March veto of a bill passed by Congress that would have amounted to a nationwide ban on torture.

The need for the resolution was articulated by its author Ridley-Thomas , who stated that "the U.S. Department of Defense has failed to oversee the ethical conduct of California licensed health professionals related to torture."

No Safe Haven for Torturers

arokke — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:29:46 -0600

Trial Begins in Miami for Torture Committed in Liberia

September 23, 2008 - The upcoming trial for the ex-Liberian president's son, Charles 'Chuckie' Taylor, Jr., marks the first remarkable step towards prosecuting human rights offenders who commit their abuses abroad.

Chuckie Taylor is accused of ordering torture during his father's presidency in Liberia between 1997 and 2003 as head of the nation's Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU). Mr. Taylor is an American citizen, and was born in Massachusetts.

A Lack of Training Results in Torture

mlesser — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:18:59 -0600

On June 22, 2008, "Report: Torture failed on Sept. 11 Planner," highlighted the growing acceptance that torture does not work. CIA agent, Deuce Martinez, notably established a relationship with Khalid Shaikh Mohammad (suspected 9/11 conspirator) that produced actionable intelligence. After years of experts pleading that "cruel and unusual" methods of interrogation do not result in valuable information, it is not surprising that establishing rapport, and a level of personal understanding, were effective.

Wednesday's Recommended Reading: Is John Yoo a Monster?

rstazinski — Wed, 21 May 2008 05:56:27 -0600

Is John Yoo a monster...or just a war criminal? Esquire's John Richardson asks the man himself in this interview.

Monday's (Belated) Recommended Reading

rstazinski — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:37:14 -0600

Errol Morris, the talented documentary filmmaker best known for his film Fog of War, has a provocative essay ("The Most Curious Thing") in yesterday's New York Times about the Abu Ghraib torture scandal.

Tip o' the hat to Lisa!

Torture is Torture, Right?

hsalter — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:29:49 -0700

I am not a lawyer and I didn't even sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but how could President Bush threaten to veto a bill that would require U.S. intelligence agencies to follow Army rules adopted last year that explicitly forbid waterboarding? The bill, which passed the House of Representatives last night, would also require interrogators to adhere to a strict interpretation of the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war.

Students protest CIA torture

tmoran — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:54:50 -0700

On Wednesday a group of students from the University of California Santa Barbara sabotaged a CIA recruiting presentation to protest covert U.S. torture and rendition policies and waterboarding in particular. Dressed as clowns, one of the group was placed on a table in front of the recruiter, who subsequently made a quick exit, their hands bound and water poured over their head to simulate waterboarding, the controversial mock-drowning strategy practiced by the CIA.