Speaking of POWs…

Iraq has yet to account for some 600 Kuwaiti prisoners, mostly civilians, missing since the first Gulf War 12 years ago. This has not been an entirely forgotten issue in the region; the effort to keep the matter alive even includes a recent music video portraying Kuwaiti prisoners and their families.

Technically, the issue is before the U.N. Security Council, which received a report three years ago calling the matter "a humanitarian tragedy which needs [the] highest attention of all parties involved and concerned." It being a pressing matter before the U.N., nothing happened.

Iraq has had nothing to say on the matter since 1998, and the regime didn't have much to say before that, either. It denied having the prisoners, arrest records notwithstanding, and suggested that Kuwaiti officials try to find the missing POWs. Given its direct support of coalition efforts against the Iraqi regime, Kuwait may be said to have accepted the invitation.

Comments

[Gary Gunnels]

Tuning Spork,

Monty is one of these individuals who blames AI for what sovereign governments do. He's also one of these types who doesn't read the reports AI publishes, but then blames them for not reporting on atrocity "x" which he US and other governments have finally decided to take notice of. In fact, must of the human rights material that the allies have on Iraq comes from AI. I've seen Powell in fact nearly qoute line by line their reports, as if someone in the administration went to AI's website, looked up one of the country reports on Iraq, and then pasted them into Powell's speech or "talking points."

Here is a link to the 1997 report: http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/aireport/ar97/MDE14.htm

Compare that to their report on Cuba: http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/aireport/ar97/AMR25.htm

And here is the USA for the same year: http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/aireport/ar97/AMR51.htm

[Monty]

No answer, huh Gary? Thought not.

Here's a link to an AI report on war crimes in the current war:

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE140442003

Note, Gary, that they cite "concerns that war crimes may have been committed by both sides in the recent fighting".

Most of the release is an absurd attempt to characterize the American bombing of the regime's propaganda facility as a war crime.

It's only at the end that we read about the actual war crimes, all perpetrated by Iraq, in a brief summary.

Gary, you must be "one of these types who doesn't read the reports AI publishes". Have a look.

[Gary Gunnels]

Does the war mean that Saddam has to give up his key to Detroit?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20030326/lo_wdiv/1546595

[david f]

hey!

it's kinda like all of those wonderful bleeding heart european countries giving good ol nick ceaucescu their highest orders... none of us really has a corner on the brains market in terms of stuff like this... at least mr. yasso was able to keep on doing good in the community. see, SH can't even win in detroit.

now if he got the key to milwaukee or minneapolis (right Steve or Lefty????), it would be another story... heh heh heh

happy thursday all! drink a Stiegl!
drf

[Monty]

Sorry, guys, didn't see anything about Iranian prisoners in all that palaver, and I still can't recall AI or the UN saying anything about Iranian prisoners. Can you give me a page reference? Nice touch, posting the US report - what a laff.

[Gary Gunnels]

David F,

The Reagan administration was quite friendly with Ceaucescu. In fact, they tried to paint him, due to his willingness to give the finger to the Soviets from time to time, as a man friendly to democracy, reformer, and the usual crap said about tyrants we like. Of course US officials, etc. in Romania constantly tried to remind the WH during those years that the man was an tyrant of the highest order who was not about to bring "freedom" to Romania, but they were ignored. Read the chapter in _Balkan Ghosts_ about Romania, its a good introduction to the West's coddling of that thug.

Which brings up an important point in my mind. Would a libertarian government have ever done business with the likes of a Ceaucescu or a Hussein?

[Gary Gunnels]

BTW, Ceaucescu gulags and giant work projects were on the order of those found in the USSR during the Stalinist era. He makes Milosevic and and probably Saddam Hussein look like altar boys.

[Tuning Spork]

Monty,

You've shifted your focus, ol' bean. If your point now is that Amnesty International is a "leftist" or "anti-American" cabal then you may be able, if yer clever, to score some rhetorical points (though they wont amount to much substance).
You acknowledge that their report calls attention to what look convincingly like Iragi war crimes; but your original point was that A.I. was somehow "complicit" in Iraq's "shameful and shameless" record regarding POWs. So which is it, superficial liberal bias (harmless) or dishonest tyrant-hugging complicity (your first claim)??
It's okay to take a moment to think about it...and to admit that you were shamelessly and shamefully engaging in silly over-the-top sophistry earlier. We wont hold a grudge!!

[Monty]

Iraq gave up its Iranian prisoners from the 80s war only last week. The Iraqi record on POWs is both shameful and shameless. Where was the UN and/or Amnesty International? Complicit.

[Monty]

Iraq gave up its Iranian prisoners from the 80s war only last week. The Iraqi record on POWs is both shameful and shameless. Where was the UN and/or Amnesty International? Complicit.

[Tuning Spork]

Monty, Amnesty International has been nothing but steady and relentless in their condemnation of Iraqi treatment of POWs and other such "enemies of the State". Perhaps yer confusing A.I. with SAG.