Bush Administration Attacks on Amnesty International: Old Wine, New Bottles admin, June 6, 2005 In what appears to be a concerted effort to discredit independent human rights advocates, the Bush administration and its allies in the media have been engaging in a series of attacks against Amnesty International, the world’s largest human rights organization and winner of the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize. Continue Reading
U.S. Supports Repression in Uzbekistan admin, May 27, 2005 U.S. Supports Repression in Uzbekistan (PDF) Continue Reading
Noble Rhetoric Supports Democracy While Ignoble Policies Support Repression admin, November 8, 2003July 16, 2024 President George W. Bush’s November 6 speech before the National Endowment for Democracy emphasizing the need for greater democracy and freedom in the Arab world, while containing a number of positive aspects, was nevertheless very misleading and all-too characteristic of the longstanding contradictory messages that have plagued U.S. policy in the Middle East. Continue Reading
Time to Question the U.S. Role In Saudi Arabia admin, May 20, 2003February 14, 2024 The terrorist bombings that struck Saudi Arabia on May 12th have raised a number of serious questions regarding American security interests in the Middle East. First of all, the attacks underscore the concern expressed by many independent strategic analysts that the United States has been squandering its intelligence and military resources toward Iraq–which had nothing to do with al Qaeda and posed no direct danger to the United States–and not toward al Qaeda itself, which is the real threat…. Continue Reading
The Bush Administration and Congress Join the Coverup in the Murder of Rachel Corrie admin, March 23, 2003 There has been a real fear in recent months that the right-wing government of Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon might take advantage of the international focus on the U.S. invasion of Iraq to increase its repression in the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Few people realized, however, that one of the first casualties would be a young American…. Continue Reading
Congress Attacks Human Rights admin, May 3, 2002 On Thursday, both the House of Representative and the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed resolutions defending the policies of right-wing Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon in the occupied territories. Human rights activists are alarmed, both at the strong Congressional support for a repressive military occupation as well as the fact that the resolutions are being widely interpreted as an attack on the credibility of Amnesty International and other human rights groups. Continue Reading
Congress Ignores Human Rights Groups In Pro-Israel Resolution admin, May 1, 2002July 16, 2024 Republican Right and congressional liberals join together to show support for Sharon government despite reports by Amnesty and Human Rights Watch detailing gross human rights abuses. Continue Reading
Death Squad Democrats admin, August 1, 2001 Last Tuesday, Israeli forces murdered Isaac Saada outside of his home in Bethlehem. He was the father of ten and a beloved teacher at Terra Sancta, a RomanCatholic school in that West Bank city. Saada was actively involved with the peace education program of the Israeli-Palestinian Center for Research and Information. The day he was buried, he had been scheduled to take part in a joint seminar with Israeli teachers on improving understanding and cooperation between the two peoples. Continue Reading
U.S. Arrogance on Display in UN Human Rights Commission Flap admin, May 1, 2001 The decision by the U.S. Congress to withhold $244 million in dues owed to the United Nations only builds upon the growing global perception of U.S. arrogance. In recent days, both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill have placed themselves to the right of even the Bush administration in their sharp anti-UN rhetoric…. Continue Reading
East Timor’s Tragedy and Triumph admin, September 9, 2000 Peace Review 2000 East Timor’s Tragedy and Triumph (PDF) Continue Reading
Nonviolent Action and Human Rights admin, October 20, 1999January 21, 2025 Nonviolent action campaigns have been a part of political life for millennia. History records many instances of groups rising to challenge abuses by authorities, demand social reforms, and protest militarism and discrimination. In recent years, however, the number of such movements has increased, as has their success in advancing the cause of human rights and toppling or dramatically reforming repressive regimes. In the twentieth century, nonviolence became more of a deliberate tool for social change, moving from being largely an ad hoc strategy growing naturally out of religious or ethical principles to a reflective and, in many ways, institutionalized method of struggle. Continue Reading
Reassessing America’s Policy Toward Indonesia admin, October 17, 1996 The muted reaction of Clinton administration officials on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to two human rights activists from East Timor is not simply due to the seeming obscurity of that small Southeast Asian nation. No choice could have been more embarrassing for the United States government. Continue Reading