America The Exceptional, that shinning city on the hill typically sees itself as qualified to make pronouncements on human rights standards for the rest of the world. It seems that much of the rest of the world isn't entirely convinced about those unique qualifications when they are subjected to the light of actual performance.
US human rights record chastised in UN report UN human rights committee raises concerns over torture, drone strikes, the death penalty and NSA data collection
The UN has delivered a withering verdict on the US's human rights record, raising concerns on a series of issues including torture, drone strikes, the failure to close Guantánamo Bay and the NSA's bulk collection of personal data.
The report was delivered by the UN's human rights committee in an assessment of how the US is complying with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [ICCPR], which has been in force since the mid 1970s.
The committee, which is chaired by the British law professor Sir Nigel Rodley, catalogued a string of human rights concerns, notably on the mass surveillance exposed by the whistleblower Edward Snowden.
It said the collection of the contents of communications from US-based companies under the Prism program had an adverse impact on the right to privacy. It added that the legal oversight of such programs had largely been kept secret and failed to protect the rights of those affected.
In its 11-page report, the committee also criticised the US for failing to prosecute senior members of its armed forces and private contractors involved in torture and targeted killings.
It noted that only a "meagre number" of criminal charges had been brought against low-level operatives. It also expressed concern that all investigations into enforced disappearances and torture conducted under the CIA's rendition programme were closed in 2012, and that the details of the programme remained secret, creating barriers to accountability and redress for victims.
The US is urged to "ensure that all cases of unlawful killing, torture or other ill-treatment, unlawful detention, or enforced disappearance are effectively, independently and impartially investigated, that perpetrators, including, in particular, persons in command positions, are prosecuted and sanctioned".
Now let's see. We can expect some stock responses to this. Near the top of the list is other countries do things that are worse so that makes it unfair to criticize the US. Then of course there is TERRORISM. Anything done in the name of state security is justified.
Then there is a somewhat more practical observation. We can get by with it because nobody can actually do anything to stop us.
Oh there are bad guys in the UN committee so anything they say doesn't count.