The BRAD BLOG : United Nations

June 9th, 2011

'Green News Report' - June 9, 2011

With Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen...

TWITTER: @GreenNewsReport
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IN TODAY'S RADIO REPORT: Limbaugh and Santorum, positively frothy in their propaganda jihad against climate science; Unfair & Unbalanced coverage of the Environmental Protection Agency; Crunch time at the UN on the Kyoto climate treaty; Feds shut down an oil pipeline; PLUS: Scientists are screaming that global warming is accelerating, but our media is obsessed with Weiner --- Anthony Weiner ... All that and more in today's Green News Report!

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IN 'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (see links below): Breakthroughs, launches, and warnings on World Oceans Day; Pollution worsens kids' asthma, but Congress split on action; 'Dramatic' solar flare could disrupt earth communications; UN's Food & Agriculture Organization sees stubbornly high food prices; Food demand eating into tropical forests; Judge upholds environmentalist lawsuit against Exxon; Hundreds protest Marcellus Shale drilling in PA; Utility groups trade blows on new EPA emissions rules; Autism experts urge reform of U.S. chemicals law; Decontamination trial planned at Japanese nuclear plant; After Japan, where's the next nuclear weak link?; Federal regulators: Nuclear accident plans are lacking; Oil falls after Saudis face opposition to OPEC quota increase; FDA: some chicken may contain arsenic ... PLUS: Planet Earth doesn't know how to make it any clearer It wants everyone to leave ...

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By DES on 6/9/2011 1:42pm PT

March 17th, 2011

'Green News Report' - March 17, 2011

With Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen...

Ongoing Special Coverage: Japan's Nuclear Emergency...

TWITTER: @GreenNewsReport
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IN TODAY'S RADIO REPORT: Crisis in Japan: Compounding natural disaster, humanitarian disaster, and spiraling nuclear disaster --- desperate measures to hold off a nuclear nightmare ... All that and more in today's Green News Report!

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IN 'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (see links below): EPA moves to curb toxic mercury pollution; Battle-proof wind farms survive Japan disasters; Op-ed: 'Save US children from toxic mercury'; End of cheap food in US?; Koch Bros: property rights only for polluters; Gov. Kasich (R) wants fracking in OH state parks; Sec. Chu: Clean energy puts U.S. ahead; PA: Coal Exec Given Vast Environmental Authority; WV considering geothermal future; Google backs biofuel startup; If President Obama calls it safe, watch out; Germany's Merkel plans faster shift to clean energy ... PLUS: Irish scientists help Guinness go green...

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By DES on 3/17/2011 1:36pm PT

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Article Categories: Bill O'Reilly, United Nations, U.S. House, Environment, U.S. Senate, Barbara Boxer, Republicans, State Department, Green News, James Inhofe, EPA, Japan

February 22nd, 2011

'Green News Report' - February 22, 2011

With Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen...

TWITTER: @GreenNewsReport
VIA SMART PHONE: Stitcher Radio!

IN TODAY'S RADIO REPORT: Deadly earthquake in New Zealand; Aging dams at risk in the U.S.; 50 million environmental refugees by 2020, and other cheerful news from America's scientists ... PLUS: The WI gov's attack on labor and renewable energy, brought to you by the Billionaire Koch Brothers ... All that and more in today's Green News Report!

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IN 'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (see links below): Oil prices rise on Libya unrest; Foodies can save the green movement; Dead baby dolphins washing up along Gulf Coast; 153M gallons of sewage overwhelming dump in SC; Futurist Kurzweil not worried about climate change; Chicago coal-power co. delays pollution upgrades; China to blow doors off US elec. car market; Shocking decline in large fish; How we know recent global warming is not natural; China Readies $1 Billion for Drought Aid; US may open Grand Canyon to uranium mining ... PLUS: Are Girl Scout cookies killing orangutans? ...

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By DES on 2/22/2011 1:13pm PT

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Article Categories: Wisconsin, United Nations, U.S. House, Environment, Republicans, Green News, BP Oil Disaster, EPA

April 25th, 2009

Reagan's Torture Convention Signing Statement: 'Abhorrent Practice,' 'Prosecute Torturers or Extradite to Other Countries for Prosecution'

Reagan on torture prosecution, via Andrew Sullivan, from the days before George W. Bush decided how to use signing statements for evil, rather than good...

From his signing statement ratifying the UN Convention on Torture from 1984:

"The United States participated actively and effectively in the negotiation of the Convention . It marks a significant step in the development during this century of international measures against torture and other inhuman treatment or punishment. Ratification of the Convention by the United States will clearly express United States opposition to torture, an abhorrent practice unfortunately still prevalent in the world today.

The core provisions of the Convention establish a regime for international cooperation in the criminal prosecution of torturers relying on so-called 'universal jurisdiction.' Each State Party is required either to prosecute torturers who are found in its territory or to extradite them to other countries for prosecution."

My italics. Reagan was admant [sic] about prosecuting torture, but also prosecuting inhuman treatment that some might claim was not full-on torture. Now go read National Review or The Weekly Standard. And look what has happened to conservatism in America.

Reagan was, of course, part of the Blame-America-First crowd. Soft on terror. Friend of the evil-doers. Why did Ronald Reagan hate America?

By Brad Friedman on 4/25/2009 8:56am PT

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Article Categories: Rights And Freedoms, United Nations, Accountability, Republicans, Torture, Bush Legacy, Ronald Reagan

January 24th, 2009

UN Attny: U.S. is Required to Bring Bush, Rumsfeld to Court for Torture Programs

Says international law, convention obligates Obama government to begin criminal investigation or extradite to country that would prosecute

Congressional Democrats indicate willingness to proceed with investigations...

From Scott Horton at Harper's...

In an interview on Tuesday evening with the German television program “Frontal 21,” on channel ZDF Professor Manfred Nowak, the United Nations Rapporteur responsible for torture, stated that with George W. Bush’s head of state immunity now terminated, the new government of Barack Obama was obligated by international law to commence a criminal investigation into Bush’s torture practices.

“The evidence is sitting on the table,” he stated. “There is no avoiding the fact that this was torture.” He pointed to the U.S. undertakings under the Convention Against Torture in which the country committed that it would criminally prosecute anyone who tortured, or extradite the person to a state that would prosecute him. “The government of the United States is required to take all necessary steps to bring George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld before a court,” Nowak said.
...
Law professor Dietmar Herz clarifies that under U.S. and international law, George W. Bush bears personal responsibility for the introduction of torture. From the point of his departure from office, head of state immunity terminates, and under clear principles of international law, the United States is obligated to commence a criminal investigation and then a prosecution.

In related news, top Congressional Democrats, including Senators Reid, Levin and Whitehouse, as well as Representatives Pelosi, Hoyer and Conyers have all indicated recently, in various forms, interest in investigations and/or accountability for various Bush crimes, which, reports Jason Leopold at Public Record, amounts to a growing consensus among Dems to approve a probe into torture allegations, and perhaps more.

UPDATE 1/26/09: In an interview with CNN, Nowak said he believes there is already enough evidence to prosecute fomer SecDef Don Rumsfeld:

"We have clear evidence," he said. "In our report that we sent to the United Nations, we made it clear that former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld clearly authorized torture methods and he was told at that time by Alberto Mora, the legal council of the Navy, 'Mr. Secretary, what you are actual ordering here amounts to torture.' So, there we have the clear evidence that Mr. Rumsfeld knew what he was doing but, nevertheless, he ordered torture."

RAW STORY has the video of the CNN interview with Nowak...

By Brad Friedman on 1/24/2009 5:30pm PT

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Article Categories: Rights And Freedoms, United Nations, Accountability, Torture, Bush Legacy

December 4th, 2006

The Fall of the NeoCons: Bye Bye Bolton

FAREWELL FLASHBACK VIDEO: On the UN Building in NYC...'It has 30 stories. If you lost 10 stories today, it wouldn't make a bit of difference'

As the unravelling of the NeoCons continues, today its John Bolton's turn to flee the sinking ship.

Though just two weeks ago Bolton said he expected to be re-upped, Bush today accepted his resignation. From AP today...

While Bush could not give Bolton another recess appointment, the White House was believed to be exploring other ways of keeping him in the job, perhaps by giving him a title other than ambassador. But Bolton informed the White House he intended to leave when his current appointment expires, White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said.

Bush planned to meet with Bolton and his wife later Monday in the Oval Office.

Bush said he accepted Bolton's decision with deep regret.

The resignation, of course, comes in the wake of a new Democratic Congress which was not about to let Bolton's nomination get out of committee. One of the annoyances of that whole "checks and balances" thing, which D.C. politicos have now been forced to go back and look up for reference in the history books to freshen up on the concept.

For his part, Bush was busy freshening up on that concept called "reality" which is showing its ugly face more and more in the White House of late, despite the best efforts of dead-enders in the administration (led by Dead-Ender-in-Chief, George W. Bush) to pretend this is still 2003.

As late as last month, Bush, through his top aides, said he would not relent in his defense of Bolton, despite unwavering opposition from Democrats who view Bolton as too combative for international diplomacy.

In a letter to Bush, dated last Friday, Bolton offered no reason for his decision. "After careful consideration, I have concluded that my service in your administration should end when the current recess appoint expires," Bolton wrote.

For one small reminder of Bush's obnoxiously inappropriate recess appointment of Bolton to the U.N. in the first place, we refer you --- hopefully for the last time --- to this short video of Bolton, as we wave goodbye to the mustachioed Ambassador and await the inevitable announcement of his new job as an "analyst" for Fox "News".

By Brad Friedman on 12/4/2006 12:55pm PT

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Article Categories: John Bolton, United Nations

August 4th, 2006

Raw Story: United Nations Human Rights Committee Report Amounts To 'A Moral Indictment' of USA

Report cites 'Treaty Violations', 'Hubris', and 'Willful Disregard For International And Domestic Law' ... and even at that, it just scratches the surface!

WAKE UP, AMERICA! Your shame is world-wide.

Guest blogged by Winter Patriot

From Larisa Alexandrovna of RAW STORY:

UN report a 'moral indictment' of US

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has released its final report after a series of hearings in Geneva last week, which RAW STORY has learned amounts to a moral indictment of US treaty violations, as well as what some attendees and delegates described as US hubris, willful disregard for international and domestic law, and contempt for the Committee itself.

Anybody surprised? I didn't think so.

I can't quote the whole article but I can encourage you to read it!

By Winter Patriot on 8/4/2006 6:01am PT

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Article Categories: Iraq War, Rights And Freedoms, U.S. Constitution, ITMFA, United Nations, Accountability

August 1st, 2005

Bolton Appointed

Bush Contempt of Americans and Constitutional Process Continues...

As George W. Bush continues his dangerous and unprecedented expansion of Executive Branch power over all others, we thought you might appreciate a reminder of who he has just recess-appointed as Ambassador to the United Nations.

See our previous report --- including a stunning short video --- of Crazy Man John Bolton.

(Video linked above courtesy of the fine folks at OldAmericanCentury.org!)

By Brad Friedman on 8/1/2005 1:00pm PT

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Article Categories: John Bolton, United Nations

May 31st, 2005

John Bolton is a Crazy Man.

Never mind the allegations that he abused his wife by forcing her to participate in group sex. Never mind the allegations that he abused his position to spy on other government officials who opposed him at various times. One might also feel inclined to ignore the 43 former U.S. ambassadors who have added their names to a letter signed earlier by 59 ex-ambassadors opposing Bolton's nomination (most of whom served in Republican administrations, according to AP.)

Never mind all of that (since the Corporate Media has been largely doing so anyway, as per their custom). If you go back to the initial criticisms of John Bolton --- that his past statements about the U.N. make him amongst the least appropriate human beings on this planet to be our U.N. Ambassador at a time when the U.S. so desperately needs cooperation from that world body --- you will likely understand immediately what a boondoggle this man's nomination is. And why it's taken so long to get him through what should have been a very friendly Congress.

As much as the actual words by which Bolton condemns the U.N. itself, it's the way in which he did so that has set off our personal alarm bells about this guy. (Though we admit that, on its own, the statement that losing ten stories today from the U.N. Building "wouldn't make a bit of difference" is troubling, to say the least, for a guy who would be our lead "diplomat" in that body!)

Give his actual statements a look in this very short Quicktime video.

Let us know if you agree that this revealing video --- all by itself --- would seem to indicate that John Bolton is, indeed, a crazy man.

More info, a TV ad, and phone numbers by which you can call your Senators are available via StopBolton.org.

By Brad Friedman on 5/31/2005 2:19pm PT

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Article Categories: John Bolton, United Nations

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