Human Rights Watch Condemns Bin Laden Killing: Odious Immoral Equivalence

solfeggio

Posts: 7,752

A lot of people don't believe that bin Laden is really dead:

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110502/ap_on_re_us...

news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/binladensde...

Considering that the U.S. government has never had any problem releasing photos of dead insurgents before, it seems strange that they's balk at showing a photo of this particular bad guy:

www.google.co.nz/search?q=photos+of+dead...

And then there is the fact that Obama, who is hoping for a second term in office, has conveniently got a boost in his performance rating with this episode.

The whole scenario seems dreamed up by the same people who brought us Wag the Dog.

Ebon

Posts: 7,868

May 5, 2011 -- 12:07AM, solfeggio wrote:
A lot of people don't believe that bin Laden is really dead:

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110502/ap_on_re_us...

news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/binladensde...

Considering that the U.S. government has never had any problem releasing photos of dead insurgents before, it seems strange that they's balk at showing a photo of this particular bad guy:

www.google.co.nz/search?q=photos+of+dead...

And then there is the fact that Obama, who is hoping for a second term in office, has conveniently got a boost in his performance rating with this episode.

The whole scenario seems dreamed up by the same people who brought us Wag the Dog.

If it was a fake, it would have been kept back until the week before the election when it would have maximum effect. I've been reading conspiracy research for about twenty years and if this was a conspiracy, it was a badly constructed one. Conspiracies remain secret when the number of people with access to the real information can be strictly controlled, this requires too many people to be sure of their silence. Plus, as said, if it was a fake, it would have been timed for maximum political advantage.

As for the photos, the administration was really in a no-win position. If they had released them, the conspiracists would have declared them fake or doctored and the right would have attacked him. If they don't release them, the conspiracists will declare that proves the whole thing was fake and the right will attack him.

I'm ok with holding back the photo for the time being. Those already inclined to believe it's a conspiracy will continue to do so.

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. ~ Proverbs 14:31

Fiat justitia, ruat caelum

CharikIeia

Posts: 8,303

May 5, 2011 -- 12:17AM, Ebon wrote:

I'm ok with holding back the photo for the time being.

Why that?

In case of doubt - and what you sketched was a situation of indifference - go for transparency, openness, and trust.

Why would you here go for secrecy, closed circles, and suspicion instead?

And why are you "okay" with that?

tl;dr

rabello

Posts: 17,287

Too bad he was shot in the head and not through the heart, so that the question wouldn't be about showing photos of an exploded head

Too bad there isn't a body available for autopsy, but the body had to be disposed of by feeding it to the fishes, the way the Muslims "do it"

Such a quandry

Roodog

Posts: 9,796

May 4, 2011 -- 4:35PM, rocketjsquirell wrote:
HRW - first it was just anti-Semitic and anti-Israel, now it is anti-USA and anti-civilization. I wonder what made it stray so far from its founding vision?

Human Rights Watch Condemns Bin Laden Killing: Odious Immoral Equivalence

The “watchdog” group Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued statements questioning the US operation that killed Osama bin Laden. These statements hijack the moral principles of international law and human rights, notes Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor.

On May 3 HRW executive director Ken Roth tweeted: Ban Ki-moon wrong on #Osama bin Laden: It’s not “justice” for him to be killed even if justified; no trial, conviction reut.rs/kKQfuu

In contrast to elected officials, such as President Obama, who must choose between real options, Roth presents a fictitious alternative in which arch-terrorists in countries like Pakistan can be arrested, tried, and punished by functioning international judicial systems.

full article
www.ngo-monitor.org/article/human_rights...

To the HRW:

D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.F.?

(Do I Look Like I Give A Flying F--- ?)

For those who have faith, no explanation is neccessary.
For those who have no faith, no explanation is possible.

St. Thomas Aquinas

If one turns his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer is an abomination. Proverbs 28:9

Ebon

Posts: 7,868

May 5, 2011 -- 4:39AM, CharikIeia wrote:
Why that?

In case of doubt - and what you sketched was a situation of indifference - go for transparency, openness, and trust.

Why would you here go for secrecy, closed circles, and suspicion instead?

And why are you "okay" with that?

I'm ok with it because firstly, I think the photos and documents will be released in time regardless. Secondly, I'd prefer not to see it plastered all over every front page (I'm fairly immune to being sickened but that doesn't mean I enjoy looking at such things) and thirdly, because OBL's death makes little difference in the situation.

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. ~ Proverbs 14:31

Fiat justitia, ruat caelum

arielg

Posts: 8,206

May 4, 2011 -- 5:43PM, Erey wrote: But it is at someone's expense. People are happy that OBL is dead, you are disapproving of other's happiness so you are exaggerating to make a inconsequential point. Basically you are just trying to rain on the parade.

Some people were happy when the towers were brought down. They danced on the streets. And some of you people rained on their parade.

So, is raining on the sickos parades good or not?

Roodog

Posts: 9,796

May 5, 2011 -- 7:33PM, arielg wrote:

May 4, 2011 -- 5:43PM, Erey wrote: But it is at someone's expense. People are happy that OBL is dead, you are disapproving of other's happiness so you are exaggerating to make a inconsequential point. Basically you are just trying to rain on the parade.

Some people were happy when the towers were brought down. They danced on the streets. And some of you people rained on their parade.

So, is raining on the sickos parades good or not?

Again I ask:

D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.F.?

For those who have faith, no explanation is neccessary.
For those who have no faith, no explanation is possible.

St. Thomas Aquinas

If one turns his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer is an abomination. Proverbs 28:9

IDBC

Posts: 4,088

Howdy

From Amensty International

Osama Bin Laden killed in Pakistan

2 May 2011

Osama Bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaida, has been killed by US forces during an operation in Pakistan, US President Barack Obama has said.

"Osama Bin Laden took credit for and supported acts around the world which amounted to crimes aganist humanity. He also inspired others to commit grave human rights abuses," said Claudio Cordone, Senior Director at Amnesty International.

"His death will put an end to his role in organizing or inspiring such criminal acts. We do not know the full circumstances of his killing and and the others with him and we are looking into that."

From the Human Right Watch link:

www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/05/04/killing-o...

May 4, 2011

Some media reports have erroneously suggested that Human Rights Watch has condemned the killing of Osama bin Laden. Human Rights Watch has said that we do not have enough information about the killing to draw conclusions about whether it was lawful or not. Human Rights Watch calls on the US government to provide that information.

Bin Laden publicly took responsibility for several mass killings of civilians. The inability to bring bin Laden to trial for crimes against humanity means that an important avenue for justice has been lost, but that is quite different from determining whether the killing was legal, Human Rights Watch said. The US government should provide all the relevant facts about Osama bin Laden's death to clarify whether it was justified under international law.

Killing OLB who was unarmed rather than capturing him does raise ethical questions.

There is no question in my mind that OLB was guilty. I think that he deserved to be killed and I am happy he dead. While it may not have been perfect utopian justice to kill him rather capture him and give him a trial it was less than perfect justice to kill him but just none the less.

Putting him on trial would have been very, very,very problematic and I think that if he were still alive his supporters would have done everything in their power to get him freed.

I don't have any idea is the killing of OLB was "legal" under international law or what further details HRW needs to decide.

I think it would be very interesting to put Chocolate Jesus on trial for the murder of OLB.

Have A Thinking Day May Reason Guide Us

HAVE A THINKING DAY MAY REASON GUIDE YOU

Erey

Posts: 15,229

Glad to hear that IDB - sort of a relief from the madness

Human Rights Watch Condemns Bin Laden Killing: Odious Immoral Equivalence

Osama Bin Laden killed in Pakistan

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