After leaving the British diplomatic service because of my commitment to Human Rights, and horror at their abuse by the US and UK in the “War on Terror”, I applied for a job at Human Rights Watch. I travelled to New York for a job interview, which was chaired by Kenneth Roth. Rather to my surprise, it revolved almost entirely around Israel, and whether I would agree with the proposition that Palestinian terrorist attacks on Israelis were a major threat to human rights, which HRW should work against.
I replied that any criminal attack on a person was in effect an intrusion on their human rights. That in my view “terrorism” consisted of activities which had always been illegal, such as murder or conspiracy to murder, and that the “anti-terrorism” industry was already massive without Human Rights Watch joining in. I felt that HRW could best operate by continuing to expose abuse of power by authorities.
I didn’t get the job.
Anyway, HRW have now produced a useful paper cataloguing the fact that all recent “terrorist plots” in the United States have been agent provocateur operations initiated by the massive anti-terror industry to keep itself in business. Some convicted terrorists were even ideologically opposed to terrorism before being brainwashed into it by FBI agents.
This is all important and true, but the problem is that most of us have known this for years. HRW also steer clear of some of the glaring inconsistencies in the Tsarnaev narrative.
A completely different subject, but another example of the mainstream catching up with this blog eventually, Scotland on Sunday
has noticed the fact that Jean-Claude Juncker supports Scotland’s membership of the EU. The interesting thing is that the journalist, Andrew Whitaker, has apparently spoken to the same source that I spoke to two weeks ago, and got almost precisely the same answers.
“However, a high-ranking EU official last night stated Junker “would not want Scotland to be kept out”. The source said: “He’d be sympathetic as someone who is from a smaller country…
Scotland would be “exempt” from the process as it is already a signatory to core requirements for nation states in areas as such employment rights and equality legislation because of its 40-year membership of the EU as part of the UK.”
The fact is that the source I spoke to (apologies convention is they can’t be named) was absolutely the obvious place to go. Plainly James Cook of the BBC and now Andrew Whitaker eventually got there, but only after the entire media in Scotland had run with the opposite and entirely untrue story. But it was not at all difficult to discover the truth. It took me twenty minutes, ten days before any journalist even thought of it. Now we finally have some belated journalism happening by people who, unlike me, are actually paid to do it.
1962 Project Northwoods was an early (the first?) US Military Industrial Complex attempt at gaining more business, using ‘anti-terror’ methods. Obviously the MIC haven’t bothered manipulating anyone/anywhere/anything in the last 40 years!?
HRW is presumably a ‘controlled organisation,’ A friend of mine met a hacker from an ‘anarchic european dissident hacking organisation’, it was obvious after a few minutes chat that they were just a front for intel activities
Good, refreshing indeed, news that you found some journos actually (eventually) earning their crust
HRW say of their report:
“Illusion of Justice: Human Rights Abuses in US Terrorism Prosecutions,” examines 27 federal terrorism cases from initiation of the investigations to sentencing and post-conviction conditions of confinement.
Seeing as the Tsarnaev trial has yet to commence, it doesn’t fit what they were covering. So it’s more a case that the report presents an interesting backdrop to the trial, which is supposed to start later this year.
Recollecting the last post of yours, and taking account of the current, clearly the imperatives of selection criteria for HRW are;
1- Is the applicant sympathetic to the zionist cause?
2- Does the applicant exhibit thinking within the prescribed parameters, and does not exhibit thinking errors, by engaging with the proscribed imperatives?
If the above are both affirmative then comes the final clincher, is the applicant one of us or is he a loose cannon?
Clearly you are a loose cannon because you really believe in upholding Human rights, and you went so far as giving up a cushy number, along with the relevant pension. Also you are not a zionist sympathiser, and have not been showing undue attention to certain prepubescent male age group (as the chap who was debriefing you points out). All in all a thoroughly chronic pain in the neck who actually would have been advocating Human Rights and not playing the game of human rights politics!
Good for you for not getting the job, this itself adds to your kudos. Although sadly Human Rights have lost a good advocate.
There is always a problem when non-specialists attempt to discuss or understand complicated processes and there is always a tendency to try and be clear(er) by using simplified, non-specialist language when explaining such processes to the general public.
People on both side of any argument will of course do this.
The fact is that an independent Scotland will not be “exempt” from the accession process as such; relevant Treaty provisions will apply. Scotland will have to apply for membership, the Commission will have to issue an Opinion, the EP woll have to be consulted, etc.
Most of the lengthy accession process is taken up by establishing to what extent an applicant country country meets the acquis communautaire (this is the verification process) and then monitoring that country’s progress towards that goal. The negotiation part of the process consists essentially in the applicant country attempting to obtain (temporary) derogations from the acquis communautaire by way of special arrangements, and the negotiation of certain financial questions (eg, that country’s future contributions to the EDF).
On the case of Scotland, the verification process is nugatory as Scotland already applies the acquis communautair (by definition, as part of the UK), and there will be relatively few matters needing negotiation; preparatory work before effective independence would ensure that this stage would be short also. And finally, the various formal stages of application would certainly also be telescoped.
In summary, therefore, although the process could/would be rapid, it is incorrect to say that Scotland would be “exempt” from it.
Ed
Fair point
The use of state sponsored assassination, state propaganda, sysops, invasion of privacy, politicization of the justice system and National Security get out of jail free card are all human rights abuses.
There are all something with which Amerika and the UK are head and shoulders above the wannabees…..
@Passerby – HRW gets heavy criticism from neoconservatives in the US for being biased against Israel, and not critical enough of Iran. (at the same time as being attacked for not being as critical of Israel as it should be)
To my eyes, HRW does a lot of good work, it is extremely cautious and methodical with its research, and it is definitely foolish to be dismissive of the conclusions they draw and the positions they advocate.
Thanks Craig, and to be clear, I agree with you that some of the Tsarnaev background – the (unfettered?) travelling to and from Dagestan especially – is pretty strange.
http://www.hrw.org/node/90317/section/11
“With respect to individual responsibility, serious violations of international humanitarian law committed with criminal intent are war crimes. War crimes include the “extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly,” which are grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.[289]
Criminal intent has been defined as violations committed intentionally or recklessly.[290] Individuals may also be held criminally liable for attempting to commit a war crime, as well as assisting in, facilitating, aiding, or abetting a war crime. Responsibility may also fall on persons planning or instigating the commission of a war crime.[291] Commanders and civilian leaders may be prosecuted for war crimes as a matter of command responsibility when they knew or should have known about the commission of war crimes and took insufficient measures to prevent them or punish those responsible.[292]”
It’s a 14 page report on Cast Lead and it seems they do criticize Israeli actions in that case. The ICC apparently feels the same way, but have yet to take action. These things take time, those who claim to know are saying. I’m saying; what’s the hold up?
You are well shot Craig. Roth is a shill for the NWO.
“Roth is a shill for the NWO.”
Being a strong supporter of the EU, globalization and unlimited immigration, I doubt Craig objects.
“Roth is a shill for the NWO.”
You’re David Icke and I claim my £10!!
Human rights you say; post the drip and drp and any number of acronyms denoting the snooping, that is now a main stay of population control in the West. Gradually the benefits of the twenty four hour snooping are coming to light.
will receive only warnings
Now that every transaction of every individual is going to be stored by the ISP there is enough uses for it to be found, all in the way of finding the terrorists, mind. Although those who are pirating (downloading stuff because the TV is so crap, or are trying out the songs before they buy them) without a doubt are terrorising those poor poor poor copyright holders! Hence they should be investigated too.
How far down the fascist shitter are we going to descend? When will we be barcoded and handed over to one corporate or another as their belongings?
Whilst Gaza burns, the government are quiet, and the Cobra meeting is convened to put sanctions on Russia. Prokyshenco the Ukie Mr. perezident goes on the telly speaking in English tells us about those nasty babas in Russia, all the while his goons are raining shells and bombs on the Donetsk and its one million inhabitants.
Never mind we are all snooped on, because if you have nothing to hide then there is no need to worry, don’t pay any attention to the car number plates on the news that are obscured so that the billy nobdies don’t guess who is in the car driving passed them.
It will be for the health of the industry;
Fact that the same industry is so out of touch (propaganda can go so much with people not getting turned off) that people don’t watch the movies or listen to the crap music any more. Has the business secretary been listening to some of the brilliant free music on the internet? To see the quality of the stuff that the greedy robber barons have to be competing with?
Who cares about the crap moives? Take a look at the content production among the you tube producers Mr. business secretary, and stop snooping on us all, we know where it will all end; None of us posting anything remotely critical of your scum bag zionist masters!
As the old Burney’s formula goes, set up an arms length organisation and then pretend as if the independent views are getting catered for. Who are the HRW? Who is funding them? Who set it up?
Criticism of fund-raising policies
HRW has been criticized for cooperating with the Saudi government by holding fundraisers in that country, and for not releasing the names of its Saudi donors.
On September 7, 2010, it was announced that George Soros planned to donate 100 million US dollars to Human Rights Watch. Soros’s donation was criticized by Gerald Steinberg, the founder of the pro-Israel research organization NGO Monitor. Wikipedia
~~~
‘Because the Iraq war was not mainly about saving the Iraqi people from mass slaughter, and because no such slaughter was then ongoing or imminent, Human Rights Watch at the time took no position for or against the war. A humanitarian rationale was occasionally offered for the war, but it was so plainly subsidiary to other reasons that we felt no need to address it.’
Typical. Mustn’t upset the warmongers.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2004/01/25/war-iraq-not-humanitarian-intervention
In Defence of Kenneth Roth:
“I travelled to New York for a job interview, which was chaired by Kenneth Roth. Rather to my surprise, it revolved almost entirely around Israel, and whether I would agree with the proposition that Palestinian terrorist attacks on Israelis were a major threat to human rights, which HRW should work against.”
___________________________
Well, Craig, if I got blown up on an Israeli bus inside Israel by a Palestinian suicide bomber (or shot by a Palestinian while on an Israeli bus) I might also be minded to feel that I’d undergone a major threat to MY human rights.
I’m sure you’d agree with that.
Moreover : might the line of questioning not have been designed to ensure that HRW did not take on board one of those sad obsessives for whom the Israelis can do no right and the Palestinians no wrong? You know, like a few of the commenters on here.
Scum bag zionist thug sniper killing wounded civilian
All the while the assigned keyboard obfuscation units, secure in their nests are pedantically exploring the hypothetical scenarios in the good old fashioned allegorical stories. As their supported thugs in uniform are busy bouncing rubble in Gaza and killing the refugees in that concentration camp.
Habbabkuk,
Of course you should have human rights in the example you gave.
But i think youre missing the point in Craig’s post.
Human rights should be universal and Craig’s point was that the bulk of his interview seemed Israel-centric,which could give rise to suspicions of a partisan interview and appointment process.
An indictment of Hague contrary to the opinion of the sycophants in the FT and Guardian and in UNICEF.
‘A Fantastic Foreign Secretary’? William Hague Leaves Office
by Ian Sinclair
Huffington Post
21 July 2014
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ian-sinclair/william-hague_b_5604981.html
His involvements in Libya, Syria and Afghanistan feature.
‘They also failed to mention Hague’s role in standing with Bahrain’s rulers in opposition to democracy and human rights, and how Hague continued the long-standing British policy of supporting the other Gulf autocracies of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE, overseeing billions of dollars of arms sales to these undemocratic governments.
They also failed to mention that while Hague has been foreign secretary Britain has armed Israel and provided cast-iron support to Israel as it attacks the “prison camp” of Gaza.’
Why not apply to Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal instead:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/kuala-lumpur-tribunal-finds-israel-guilty-of-crimes-against-humanity-genocide/5359404
HRW, a corporate body. Chaired by bankers. Does not object to poverty. Does object to Socialist governments who restrict the freedoms of international capital.
See the problem?
http://criticallegalthinking.com/2013/03/21/the-bias-of-human-rights-watch/
Jives
“But i think youre missing the point in Craig’s post.”
___________________
No, I don’t think I’m missing the point Craig is hinting at (not making) at all.
He is hinting – through his description of his interview – that HRW is in the pocket of the Zionists and therefore only want pro-Israel/Zionist-friendly employees.
I happen to find his “evidence” inconclusive and suggested an alternative explanation.
I think I was suggesting that, if you look at the denials of human rights all across the globe, the notion that Palestinian terrorism is the most important thing to concentrate on indicates a pretty weird world view.
Ababcus
a nice article by Gilad Atzmon, The End of Israel (La vita è bella), which you would hate to miss, can be found at http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/the-end-of-israel.html
I don’t know what is going on. Has World War III started yet?
We’ve just got back from a completely Brilliant Festival – in one of the most Beautiful Places we have ever been – and an extremely large percentage of the Very Best Musicians who were on – were Welsh… Now personally, I have never had a problem with The Welsh…but their reputation is nearly as nice as The Scots….
So who did it?
I don’t know…like I said…I have just got home…No news ALL Blues.
I reckon The PSYCHOPATHS did it.
I don’t like them – cos they are not only not very nice…they are also completely STUPID…
Sorry if you can’t piece the Jigsaw together…If that is your problem..maybe you should read some books…
History books from Both Sides of The Story…
You could start with 9/11
So is it true? I don’t know…how could I…I not only was not there – I have not seen the video evidence – described to me….
I can usually tell when they are faking it…when they are lying to me…
This is what I read – from memory…RT has done a brilliant job. They have got their reporters out on the scene…and they recorded evidence (that’s video and sound) of actual witnesses in the villages and fields in The Ukraine…
And they said in Russian…
The bodies were already dead – and stunk – Really stunk…they had been dead for days….
Now I am just trying to enjoy the Music…and I read this…
Did it actually appear on RT?
Or is this just some daft conspiracy theory..I don’t know yet. I haven’t seen the evidence. Yes it was stormy here too…Fence Blown Down.
I reckon someone did it…and they are not very nice.
The Welsh were Superb.
We were in England (just)…
These borders – I blame the like of Craig Murray for That.
Tony
Karel,
You are having me on…
Did Gilad Atzmon Write THAT?
I trust him.
His is just a Musician, a Passionate Human Being and a Brilliant Writer.
Tony
Habbabkuk,
Going by a rough timeline id guess Craig’s interview wouldve been circa mid-2000’s.
Dont you think it strange that the majority of his interview didnt focus on,say,Iraq,Guantanamo,Abu Ghraib,extraordinary rendition,torture etc?
Tony
I have no reason to believe that he did not write it. Do you doubt it?
“Dont you think it strange that the majority of his interview didnt focus on,say,Iraq,Guantanamo,Abu Ghraib,extraordinary rendition,torture etc?”
Given that Craig’s position on those matters would have been pretty well known what would have been the point. I suspect that HRW are looking for people who are prepared to defend human rights whoever is the abuser – so I would see it as perfectly logical that they would ask potential employees about their stance on human rights regimes to whom they might be sympathetic.
Res Dis,
That doesnt seem logical to me.
Surely if HRW had known about Craig theydve known he’s a universalist when it comes to human rights.
You could almost argue if they knew of Craig’s position they might not have required an interview at all as his credentials were already well known.
Karel,
No I thought it and posted it on The Telegraph…just as it kicked off..but we’ve been away…no I am not going to spend my long weekend away camping with my wife at a music festival..Reading The News…but I got a bit…
What exactly do you do…after a completely Brilliant Day?
We didn’t know anyone there…when we first arrived – we know everyone now…well we made loads of new friends…
It kicked in about midnight…it just started raining….
Then we had the most TERRIFIC Electric Thunderstorm…and we were in our new tent..We knew it was forecast..We Had Prepared…But The Tent Had Not Yet Been Tested….
I didn’t really want another of those magic moments when I woke up at 3:00 am and I look above at our Cheap Pretty Plastic Wigwam…and the tent was shaking so Violently – I thought there was No way – the tent is going to survive this…I put my hand down to just try and work out where the hell we were…Several inches of Water…and I said to my Wife…don’t worry love..we are on a Blow Up Bed…It Will Float.
So we went with a better Tent This Time and Made Love.
Well in the morning….eventually…
Its Great on a Blow Up Bed.
It stopped after about 15 hours…
The next day one of the organisers turned up…and said…You do Realise You are Camping on a River Plain….
Yes…but it hasn’t rained much for weeks….
Despite 15 hours of continuous rain..does it look Muddy to You….
Do you want to Cancel Our Festival???
The Scorched Earth just wanted the rain…and sucked it up like a sponge…
So he said (after a lot of political nonsense – with the hierarchy) no its O.K. you can carry on.
They cancelled the equivalent in London…
Soft Southern Softies
Tony