"War on Terror" and the Rule of Law

The Wretched "War on Terror" and the Rule of Law

August 14, 2011 - The wretched "war on terror" has led to the invention of phrases and rebranding of nasty illegal practices, in a cynical way to circumvent the rule of law, with the English language stretched to the point where words began to take on new more sinister meanings. People arrested in faraway places were labelled "unlawful enemy combatants" instead of "prisoners of war", thus circumventing the Geneva Convention, international law and U.S domestic law.

Note that although the word war is used in the phrase "war on terror", people detained in faraway places as the American military roams the world are not called "prisoners of war". Torture is not allowed under international law. No problem.

Replace the word "torture" by "enhanced interrogation techniques". Another sinister phrase that entered the language was "extraordinary rendition". Under this title "unlawful enemy combatants" were transported around the world to countries whose governments have no compunction to torture on behalf of the U.S, as they do it routinely to anyone of their citizens who dare criticize their tyrannical rule.

Add to that the shocking images of abuse of Iraqi detainees in the American-run detention centre in Abu Ghraib, Baghdad, and that of a battered to death Baha Mousa, the Iraqi hotel receptionist in a British-run detention centre in the south of Iraq, and you get the idea that these thugs and torturers felt international law did not apply to them. Apart from the immorality, inhumanity and criminality of these actions, they are totally counterproductive. A report published by the Watson institute, Brown University in the U.S., puts the effect of such inhumanity and lawlessness thus:

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Any inquiry that is serious in restoring the reputation of the UK must be robust and serious; what better way to do that than to address the concerns of human rights groups that have worked tirelessly to bring some of these abuses to light. The previous government fought doggedly to keep these shameful actions from the British public. read more>>>