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US Government Reinstates Arm Sales To Bahrain Despite Rampant Human Rights Abuses
Submitted by Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog,
One of the many destructive myths Americans like to tell themselves is that the U.S. government is a staunch defender of human rights and democracy around the world. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
Yes its true, there are plenty of well intentioned individuals and organizations across America that do care very deeply about such things; the U.S. government just isn’t one of them. The facts on the ground clearly prove this to be the case. The only thing those in charge care about is raw imperial power and money. Of course, they know this. They also know that keeping the myth alive is extremely important in order to maintain the moral high ground and some degree of legitimacy in the eyes of the public.
The most recent example of what a sham the government’s purported commitment to human rights is, was last week’s revelation that the State Department may be prepared to upgrade Malaysia’s trafficking in persons ranking just to move the TPP forward. Here’s an excerpt from the post, To Pass TPP, U.S. State Dept. Upgrades Malaysia’s Human Trafficking Ranking Despite Discovery of Mass Graves:
Earlier this week, we wrote about a troubling move by the US State Department to “upgrade” Malaysia from a “tier 3″ country to a “tier 2″ country regarding human trafficking. This move came despite a near total lack of evidence of any improvement by Malaysia. In fact, just two months ago 139 mass graves were discovered for migrant workers who had been trafficked and/or held for ransom. And the US ambassador to Malaysia had publicly criticized the country for failing to tackle its massive human trafficking problem.
Today, we learn about how the U.S. government has reinstated arm sales to Bahrain despite horrific human rights abuses. From International Business Times:
“The government of Bahrain has made some meaningful progress on human rights reform and reconciliation.”
With this flexible formulation, the US justified the decision to lift the hold on arms transfers to the Bahrain Defence Force and National Guard, which had been in a place in an effort to pressure the Bahraini regime to reform its violent tactics towards protesters.
But even as State Department employees were drafting and editing the arms-release statement, the government of Bahrain was disabusing the Obama Administration of the notion that it had the slightest interest in human rights protections and political reconciliation.
Two weeks before the decision, a court sentenced Sheikh Ali Salman, head of the opposition society al-Wefaq, to four years in prison for “inciting hatred” and “insulting public institutions” charges which Amnesty International dismissed outright. The day before the U.S. dropped its hold, the government sentenced another opposition leader, Fadhel Abbas, to five years in prison for tweeting his condemnation of the war in Yemen.
Not three days after the statement, authorities arrested Majeed Milad, another participant in the erstwhile National Dialogue, on charges of “instigating hatred of the regime.” Lest a casual observer think this to be all party politics, Nabeel Rajab, the prominent nonviolent and nonpartisan human rights defender, was only just released for unspecified “health reasons” after languishing in prison since 2 April. Authorities also targeted him for unwelcome criticism of the Yemeni conflict.
This, even as the State Department declared that Bahraini officials were “contribut[ing] to an environment more conducive to reconciliation and progress.”
The unkindest cut of all for the State Department, however, came on June 11, when the Bahrain Interior Ministry arrested Ebrahim Sharif. On that day, authorities arrested the former leader of the secular opposition society Wa’ad (“Promise”), for “incitement to overthrow the government”.
As evidence, officials cited a twenty-minute speech Sharif had delivered on 10 July. An examination of Sharif’s words reveals nothing in the way of incitement or coup-plotting, but rather the nonviolent dissidence to which the members of Bahrain’s democratic movement have held for years.
Well at least they aren’t abusing American citizens or anything. Oh, wait.
Nevermind that “prisoners,” plural, was a misnomer, that human rights activists like Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and Naji Fateel are still imprisoned. Nevermind that American citizen Taqi al-Maidan remains behind bars, suffering torture and maltreatment on unsubstantiated charges.
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there is a big navy headquarters there, tons of navy, marine, and even coast guard. The US gov will do nything needed to keep that place from coming unglued and not being useful as a base anymore. Simple as that
While the fed sleeps its power trip off in 30 minute intervals.
No surprise here, ethics and morality went out the window in inverse proportion to the spread of corruption within the system. But for the sake of consistency, I do wish the US would stop lecturing other countries about corruption and Huamn Rights?
Another recent example of questionable morality was the decison to upgrade Malaysia's Human Rights ranking tio category 2 so as to allow the completion of TPP whose fast track from Congress was approved on the basis that Category 3 countries were not included.
killing them with love and freedom bullets
If we can't get another world war going with all this spreading of freedom frippery then we need to replace our guy with someone who can...Hitlery anyone?
human rights < zio puppet regime
Where was the outrage over this last summer? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idThF4ZQfTo
Our whores in DC couldn't care less about the human rights of anyone that isn't funding their next campaign.
*disclaimer - I put some graphic images of murdered Palestinians in that video
Nothing says "I love you" like a gift of guns and ammo.
I wish my wife knew that!
Does Bahrain offer dual citizenship? I'd love to have a dozen crates of RPGs myself these days...
I'm sure that Boeing bought Sikorsky so they can restart sales to Iran. Our military arms suppliers have no shame and make the Ruskies look honorable by comparison.
You should see the new Boeing plant expansion in Charleston, SC. It's fucking enormous. We are returning home in a few days. Tired of this liberal armpit called Strongsville OH.
Not the city it was 15 years ago. If the city has a grass spot, drop in a corporate tax abatement. No zoning conditions.
Strongsville OH will turn into Parma OH. Another run down Section 8, high crime city. I remember the goodtimes in Strongsville. It's lost its luster in commercialization. The city will go tit's up. What will they do with the old Giant Eagle grocery store building on Royalton Rd? The company bought out trivisono to compete with Marc's across the street. Sheets gas station builds a new franchise across from marathon gas station. An old McDonald's icon builds another competing McDonald's 3 miles away.
Stupid people receiving tax abatements to hold down Calper obligations in which they pissed away years ago. Obama came here, pitching new roads and bridges. Driving on Peal Rd is considered moon crater pot hole maneuvering.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strongsville,_Ohio.
Fucking liberal cesspool. Our Rental property, don't live here. Thank God.
I haven't been back to Ohio in two years. It's a disgrace considering that I grew up here. Can't wait to unload the three remaining properties.
What are the double-tap drone attacks by the Nobel Prize Winner on women and children and wedding parties but rampant human rights abuses? What about his bombing of seven Muslim countries and destabilization of Ukraine?
America's deadly double tap drone attacks are 'killing 49 people for every known terrorist in Pakistan'http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2208307/Americas-deadly-double-t...
...And somehow 'they' just hate us for our freedom.
If by 'they', you mean fed.gov or state.gov, youbetcherass they do.
..."fights a never ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way." (Well, that guy is certainly not around anymore...)
United States of Hypocrisy
"One of the many destructive myths Americans like to tell themselves is that the U.S. government is a staunch defender of human rights and democracy around the world."
I believed that for many years, but then I grew woke up.
Never let a human rights violation get in the way of a multi million dollar arms transaction. Bahrain might referr their friends for even more arms sales.
Reinstates foreigners, takes grandmas gun in the US away.
Fuck the US.
I admit I was one of those Americans who firmly believed that the United States stood for truth, justice and human rights. Then I grew woke up.
The only difference between the "good guys" and the "bad guys" is that the "good guys" are on our payroll.
Humans need to understand that passwords are not for your protection, but for your identification. Just sayin'.
Before the Internet, people bought msm media news line hook and sinker, today there are many alternatives. Bahrain government fears alternative media, hence, they are trying to "act" in a better way but with the same evil mind and intent.
Well, how about the fucking U.S. Gov sells me, an Merican, some of the good shit? I think I paid for it already. I want what I paid for and anything less is bullshit. The fucking morons don't even know how to use the shit we paid for anyway.
Nevermind, I have enough already and I know how to use it all. After I "disable" you I will just take that which is mine. Just so "they" know that it won't end well if anyone comes knocking on my door.
Young folks, do not believe that anything is "bullet proof" because it isn't. Get it dummy? You might kill me but you will be dead as well. How does that sound?
Kids these days. Don't really want to kill them unless they are slaves to the state.
P.S. I already have the better shit and plenty of it.
Manipuflation, +1000
They're preparing to do the same thing here. What the hell do they care. They're fascists.
The US government has continually shown that it is a firm supporter of human rights abuse, theft, fraud, murder and terrorism.
God bless M'erica
Why would this surprise anyone? America has one of the worst records of human rights abuses in the world!
1. Most prisoners
2. Death sentence
3. Most wars
4. Drone strikes
5.gitmo
6. High poverty rate
7.High child poverty rate
8. High infant mortality rate
9.Police state
10.All encompassing spying on citizens
11.Widespread police brutality
12. Lack of affordable healthcare for all
BarackHomObamma : Yummaan Rites , myAss , wee need to get monee back and so wee are selling our obsolete arms to dem, junk, retired hardware which weel crash anyway or deez muzlims weel keel each other , dats okay , dey weel buy moar and wee get moar monee back to USA.
Cmon people, we're just arming some folks
Taqi al-Maidan is this the guy who couped the Ukranian gov?
Anal Clooney is the regime's chief lawyer-apologist, if I am not mistaken.
Human Rights is just an execuse. Always.