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Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: kcballer on March 03, 2010, 09:17:37 AM
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Today, the United States Supreme Court hears oral arguments in a case whose outcome will either uphold or nullify the rights of victims of foreign torture, including U.S. soldiers, to sue under American law.
The Court should take this opportunity to reaffirm America's commitment to human rights and its opposition to torture.
The case involves, among others, two Somalian refugees, now American citizens, who fled the brutal Siad Barre regime in the 1990s. They sued a former official of the regime living in Alexandria, Va. The Barre regime was one of the most violent and repressive regimes in the world.
Bashe Abdi Yousuf, a young businessman, claims to have been tortured and kept in solitary confinement for six years. Aziz Mohamed Deria is representing his father and brother who were allegedly kidnapped by the regime and disappeared.
They are suing Mohamed Samantar, a current resident of Fairfax, VA, and former Minister of Defense of Somalia under Siad Barre. Under Samantar's watch, the regime was responsible for the killing, rape, and torture of tens of thousands of Somalis. After the Barre regime fell in the early 1990's, Samantar, fled to Europe and then to the United States.
The Somalians, who are represented by the Center for Justice and Accountability, are seeking redress under the 1991 Torture Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which bars safe haven in this country for foreign practitioners of torture by subjecting them to U.S. laws against torture.
Samantar's defense is that as a former government official, he is protected by doctrine of sovereign immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.
Samantar's argument directly contradicts Congress's intent and purpose for enacting the TVPA. There is no question that Congress wrote the law to hold former foreign government officials like Samantar accountable for their human rights abuses.
In fact, Congress was acutely aware of many government-perpetrated human rights violations during the TVPA's legislative process -- including those of the Barre regime. For example, one Senate Report recounts the extrajudicial killing of approximately 60-100 spectators at a soccer match by army units and presidential guards and the torture of "prisoners held by security forces". Another report details the summary execution of "at least 46 young men, mainly Isaaks," at a beach and complaints of torture being implemented against detainees.
Ironically, almost two decades after Congress passed the TVPA, the Court will for the first time consider whether former foreign government officials who ordered extrajudicial killing or torture are subject to suit in the United States under the TVPA. There is no dispute that Congress intended for the answer to be yes.
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Way to go Mr. Magic Bullet Theory. I hope Arlin runs his campaign on this - "Vote for me - I will protect KSM from you."
Specter is another hack that needs to retire asap and allow some new faces in the senate.
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Ok, I might be in the minority with this thought but if I had been tortured and my family members killed.... I managed to flee that place to a new country only to find later that the person that tortured me and killed my family members was living a short car trip away????? Well I would be over there one night cutting his brake line or holding a pillow over his face.
But that is just me.
If these people sue this man on something that happened in another country under that country's orders... what is the point? Even if they win the suit, they are not going to collect a dime from this country that is responsible?
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Wow. I probably should have expected such a callous response but just wow.
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Arlen is yet another lib who will be a distant memory in Nov.Cant wait until that self rightous jerkoff goes back home for good.
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Spector is not going to be around after Nov ELECTIONS. Who cares what this kook said.
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the only thing the american court system has to do is protect american citizens rights.
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I don't think anyone actually read this. It's not about KSM or any of those guys. It's about a somalian tortured in his homeland, found refuge here only to realize a perpetrator of the torture was also here. I can not seriously believe none of you care about this as if torture is nothing. As if it's some sort of great thing to be used and if anyone questions is well fu*k em they aren't american anyway. sad really.
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spector = total lifelong lib. right guys?
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spector = total lifelong lib. right guys?
No,Specter= typical jew who has no convictions of his own.Only self preservation.But this time he fucked up because dems are going to take a major league ass kicking.