PBS News Hour: "Amnesty International Blasts U.S."

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It just makes you feel so proud to be an American, doesn't it?

Detailed evidence has emerged of Israel's extensive use of US-made weaponry during its war in Gaza last month, including white phosphorus artillery shells, 500lb bombs and Hellfire missiles.

In a report released today, Amnesty International listed the weapons used and called for an immediate arms embargo on Israel and all Palestinian armed groups. It called on the US president, Barack Obama, to suspend military aid to Israel.

The human rights group said those arming both sides in the conflict "will have been well aware of a pattern of repeated misuse of weapons by both parties and must therefore take responsibility for the violations perpetrated".

The US has long been the largest arms supplier to Israel; under a 10-year agreement negotiated by the Bush administration the US will provide $30bn (£21bn) in military aid to Israel.

As you may remember, use of white phosphorus (considered a war crime when used against civilian populations) was denied by the Israelis. Doctors treating wounded civilians blamed the shells for horrific burns.

Alex Gibney’s Academy Award-winning documentary Taxi to the Dark Side is the centerpiece of Amnesty Internationa USA's new "100 Days" campaign. Amnesty is demanding accountability for all abuses committed in the “war on terror.” For more information, click here.

Bloomberg:

June 7 (Bloomberg) -- Taser International Inc., the largest stun-gun maker, lost a $6.2 million jury verdict over the death of a California man who died after police shot him multiple times with the weapon. The defeat is the first for Taser in a product- liability claim.

A San Jose, California, jury yesterday said Taser had failed to warn police in Salinas, California, that prolonged exposure to electric shock from the device could cause a risk of cardiac arrest. The jury awarded $1 million in compensatory damages and $5.2 million in punitive damages to the estate of Robert Heston, 40, and his parents. The jury cleared the police officers of any liability.

His parents sued Taser, alleging failure to warn of the dangers of the weapon, and Salinas police officers, claiming excessive force. The jury ``exonerated the police because they said the police didn't know repeated exposures could kill someone,'' Burton said. Read on...

I understand that law enforcement officials have difficult jobs and often find themselves in life or death situations. There are times where the use of these alternative weapons can save lives, but it seems, as in this case, as with others, if improperly used or in the wrong circumstances, they are deadly. Amnesty International has laid out some recommendations for the use of tasers, which I quite agree with; law enforcement agencies should treat them as deadly weapons:

Amnesty International calls on all governments and law enforcement agencies to either cease using TASERs and similar devices pending the results of thorough, independent studies, or restrict their use to situations where officers would otherwise be justified in resorting to deadly force where no lesser alternatives are available. Read on...

This Modern World: When so-called conservatives ask, "If lraq is such a disaster, what's your solution?"...here's the answer

Prairie Weather: The authorization of war crimes, torture, and illegal wire-tapping by this administration needs to be thoroughly investigated in order to hold more than a few scapegoat grunts responsible. The question of how far political leaders will go to protect themselves brought to mind the death of Alexander Litvinenko. Might be time to take another look into Putin's soul

Eteraz.org: Western Muslim opinion of the war in Iraq

The Orstrahyun: One of Australia's most respected SAS officers has revealed that teams searching for Saddam's WMDs' regarded their mission as a "standing joke." He said the Government had broken a moral contract with its defense force in sending it to an "immoral war".

Dept Of Homeland Conspiracy: Shut Up & Buy!!!

The Lebanese Bloggers: To hell in a handbasket

Media Bloodhound: Interview with Larry Cox, Director of Amnesty international

Matt Lauer went after Bush over his secret prisons and the use of torture on the captured terrorists via The Today Show this morning. He was uncommonly strong and didn't back down when Bush gave his pet answer. He hits the right note because if what we've been doing is legal then why was there the need for secret prisons? When Bush gets cornered--he starts saying he's not going to talk about it anymore...(Glenn Greenwald has a post up now about John Yoo--Bush's torture man.)

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Matt Lauer: And yet you admitted that there were these CIA secret facilities. OK?

President Bush: So what? Why is that not within the law?

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Sacraments Wholesale: Banking on poverty...loan sharking is big bidness in South Carolina

Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting: Down the memory hole...

Norbizness: Multiple choice of perfidies, courtesy of 'The Left'

Spittle & Ink: A comic strip about bloggers? Checkitowt...

Bloggers Against Torture: Will be blogging non-stop for 24 hours to raise money for Amnesty International USA and to protest against Coalition torture and prisoner abuse.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH: Preemptive Karma...SYRUPDATE...Blog Reload...
A Lie a Day...Night Bird's Fountain...Left to Right Partisan Politics Headlines

Talk Left:

"A few of them weigh in here. Personally, I think it's sleazy for a blog to accept an ad and then mock and trash the advertiser, as Junkyard Dog and Right Wing News have done. I wouldn't mind a reasoned debate on the issues raised in the ad, but to make statements like "So click on the ad. Laugh at the page it links to. Amnesty International is a joke" and "The ad is a lame little connect-the-dots video they really didn't put much effort into...read on"

I'm with Duncan on this one.

Voter Suppression in Seattle

The Stranger: Blatant voter suppression tactics in Seattle. Republicans have challenged, "under penalty of perjury," 1,943 voters in next Tuesday's election . This un-American GOP deceit isn't limited to Washington. As Digby points out, they do it all the time.

Remember when the wingmutts went batshit over Amnesty International's description of Gitmo as a "Gulag of our time?" The Rude Pundit does, and in view of recent reports about the Bushista's"under penalty of perjury," 1,943 voters in next Tuesday's election . This un-American GOP deceit isn't limited to Washington. As Digby points out, they do it all the time.