U.S. Is Damaging Human Rights Worldwide

Amnesty International released a new report yesterday. This report took many nations to task. They criticized China for its support of the genocidal government in Sudan. It criticized Russia for its crackdown on reporters and dissidents. It criticized Great Britain and Japan for passing new authoritarian anti-terror and anti-immigrant laws.

The report criticized many nations, but its harshest criticism was for the United States. The report accuses the U.S. of using the entire world as a battleground in its "war on terrorism". They say the U.S. has accomplished little except to widen the gulf between Muslims and others, undermine the rule of law and again make torture acceptable.

They especially blasted the U.S. for its policy of "extraordinary rendition" (flying prisoners to other countries where they could be tortured). This action has made torture more politically acceptable all over the world.

The report said, "The U.S. administration's double speak has been breathtakingly shameless. It is unrepentant about the global web of abuse it has spun in the name of counterterrorism."

IA's Secretary-General Irene Khan said, "One of the biggest blows to human rights has been the attempt of Western democratic states to roll back some fundamental principles of human rights -- like the prohibition of torture. If we focus on the U.S. it's because we believe that the U.S. is a country whose enormous influence and power has to be used constructively. When countries like the U.S. are seen to undermine or ignore human rights, it sends a very powerful message to others."

Sadly, Amnesty International is right. The United States has a huge influence worldwide. If the U.S. says its OK to torture, many other countries will follow that example. If the U.S. no longer follows the rule of law, other nations will view the law as just another tool to use against those they don't like. If the U.S. violates human rights, why shouldn't other nations do it also?

We have never been perfect as a nation, but we were once a shining example of what could be accomplished with a little respect for human rights and the rule of law. That example shamed many other nations into striving to better themselves.

But the Bush administration has badly tarnished that image. Now we are just another country willing to deny human rights, ignore the rule of law and torture our enemies. History books should always show Bush as the president who seriously damaged his country and the world.

It may take the U.S. generations to live down the Bush legacy of shame.