Press freedom, Iraq-style

Today's release of an Associated Press photographer held without charges by the U.S. military for more than two years illustrates how far the Bush administration has twisted the rule of law and how much work will have to be done to undue the damage. Bilal Hussein, 36, a Pulitzer Prize winner who was working in the Iraqi city of Ramadi when he was accused of links to insurgents and arrested, was released to family members and AP staffers in Baghdad after an Iraqi judicial panel ordered his release earlier this month. The U.S. military had referred Hussein's case to the Iraqi court system for prosecution in December. But in a statement released yesterday announcing the impending release, the military said Hussein had been freed under Iraq's new amnesty law, not cleared of all wrongdoing. We can hope the Multi-National Force, Iraq, will be able to explain exactly what it was thinking. Hussein, an Iraqi citizen, and the AP had long maintained the photographer was innocent of aiding insurgents, and that the military wanted him to stop taking pictures of what was going on in Iraq. "I want to thank all the people working in AP," he said after being released. "I have spent two years in prison even though I was innocent." Yes, people make mistakes. But this was no mistake. He was held for two years, even though the military already knew who he was, perhaps to discourage other Iraqis from cooperating with the U.S. press. Maybe this guy really should be ecstatic he got out, judging from what happened to that other Hussein guy.

Bully pulpits

Just when we thought the Iraq war had made the Middle East safe for democracy, Iran threatened to "eliminate" Israel today if it attacks Iranian nuclear facilities. "If Israel wants to take any action against the Islamic Republic, we will eliminate Israel from the scene of the universe, said Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, the deputy commander-in-chief of Iran's army, in comments quoted by the semi-official Mehr news agency. Ashtiani's remarks apparently were in reaction to a statement by Israeli Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, a former defense minister, during a week of civil defense exercises in Israel. Ben-Eliezer said any attack from Iran "would result in the a harsh Israeli reaction that would cause the destruction of the Iranian nation." But Ben-Eliezer's comment probably was in response to repeated threats by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to destroy Israel. Can't these guys play nice? Iran contends it is playing nice and wants pursuing nuclear technology to generate electricity, but the United States and European Union believe Iran intends to build nuclear weapons. Three rounds of U.N. sanctions have so far failed to persuade Tehran to put its nuclear ambitions on hold. The U.S. State Department called Ashtiani's comments "unbelievable rhetoric" and said they demonstrated that the international sanctions were correct. "Any civilized person finds that disturbing," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. Diplomats from the United States, Russia, China, France, England and Germany are meeting in Shanghai today to discuss further actions.

Nepal's Maoist suprise

Western nations were shocked today to learn that former Maoist rebels seemed headed for a landslide win in Nepal's special election last week. The Maoists, still considered a terrorist group by the United States for leading a deadly 40-year insurgency that ended in 2006, have won 83 of the first 160 seats counted in a special assembly to rewrite the constitution and abolish the 239-year-old Hindu monarchy. The constitutional assembly was dissolved in 2005, when King Gyanendra assumed absolute power, but a provisional assembly created last year stripped the king of most of his powers. The special assembly is expected to serve for two years. Most Nepal analysts had expected the Maoists to finish third, behind the Communist party (Communist Unified Marxist-Leninist) and the Nepali Congress party, according to the Reuters international news service. The Madheshi People's Rights Forum was fourth. The Maoists were permitted to rejoin politics in the deal to end the insurgency, which killed more than 13,000. They campaigned on a platform of radical land reform in favor of small farmers, abolishing the monarchy and encouraging foreign investment. "It is amazing. It is a huge defeat, especially for the Nepali Congress and the UML," said Rhoderick Chalmers, who heads the Nepal branch of International Crisis Group, a Brussels think-tank. "I think it is a vote for change, a change in the way of doing politics and a change in the way state functions."

Last curtain in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's High Court is expected to decide Monday whether to order the government to reveal who won the presidential election two weeks ago. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai says he won, as reflected in a parliamentary majority won by his party, the Movement for Democratic Change, and the delay in announcing the results reflects efforts by the ruling party, ZANU-PF, to fix the election. Tensions have been rising in the streets of Harare, the capital, amid rumors of a military crackdown instigated by longtime President Robert Mugabe in an effort to hang on to power. ZANU-PF says neither candidate won a majority and a runoff election will be necessary. Recounts have been ordered in many districts at the ZANU-PF's request and MDC is threatening legal action. "The soldiers are in the barracks where they belong because the country does not fully require their services in such a peaceful environment," Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said yesterday, according to the Reuters international news service. "I believe everyone in the country is aware that there is no military junta." MDC has called for a general strike starting today to put pressure on Mugabe to release the results. Zimbabwe's once-promising economy has collapsed under Mugabe's rule and residents face shortages of food and fuel and inflation of more than 100,000 percent.

Unrest in Haiti

Saturday's ouster of Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis of Haiti does not bode well for the future of Bush administration-style capitalism in the Western Hemisphere. Alexis was voted out by Haiti's senate over his handling of the economy after more than a week of riots over food prices in the long-troubled Caribbean nation, which has been protected by U.N. peacekeeping troops since 2004. The senate vote came shortly after President Rene Preval announced a deal with businesses to cut the price of rice by more than 15 percent to $41 for a 50-pound bag. Most Haitians earn less than $2 a day. Preval said he would ask parliament to pick a new prime minister, according to the Reuters international news service. Preval said Haiti could not cut taxes on food because the revenue was needed for longterm projects to create jobs and boost agriculture.Sen. Youri Latortue, a leader of Saturday's vote, said Alexis had failed to stimulate food production, fight crime or impose a deadline for U.N. troops to leave, Reuters said. None of this should come as any surprise to the Bush administration, which already has poor relations with Venezuela and many other South American countries over U.S. economic policies.

Guilty as not charged

Just as we all suspected, or should have, top Bush administration officials, including the vice president, were involved in the decision to have the United States violate its obligations under the Geneva Conventions and use "enhanced" interrogation techniques on suspected al-Qaida terrorists. President Bush admitted at least knowing his top advisers discussed and approved the use of the enhanced techniques, which included waterboarding. Waterboarding, which simulates drowning, is generally regarded as torture by governments around the world. "We started to connect the dots in order to protect the American people," Bush said. "Yes, I'm aware our national security team met on this issue. And I approved." According to ABC News, which reported the story Wednesday, the Bush administration officials repeatedly discussed and approved using the enhanced techniques on suspected al-Qaida operative Abu Zabaydah, who was captured by the CIA in Pakistan in 2002, suspected Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammad and suspected Sept. 11 plotter Ramzi bin al-Shibh. ABC News said the administration officials, who included Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell, then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, CIA Director George Tenet and Attorney General John Ashcroft, decided how much and how often the suspects were subjected to specific techniques, including waterboarding, slapping, pushing and sleep deprivation. The meetings were held in the White House Situation Room, ABC News said, which at one point prompted Ashcroft to say, "Why are we talking about this in the White House. History will not judge this kindly." Ashcroft, who agreed the enhanced techniques were legal, told the group that top officials should not be involved in such decisions, ABC said, according to the Reuters international news service.

Sorting through the Shiites

What is going on with Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mehdi Army militia in Iraq? Al-Sadr goes from being the United States' Enemy No. 1 in Iraq to helping the occupying forces, then goes back to being the enemy, then cooperates with forces trying to pacify southern Iraq before the Iraqi Army goes after him in a crackdown. Now, his forces are under attack by U.S. forces in Baghdad's Sadr City, the slum named for his father, even though he urges calm after the slaying of one of his top aides in Najaf. But what is the truth about the situation? Should the United States even be involved in it, or is it just a turf war between al-Sadr's militia and the other major Shiite militia in league with the Islamic Supreme Council? Does anyone in the United States know? The top two U.S. officials in Iraq — Gen. David Petreus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker — testified before Congress this week and we still don't know. Seventeen people have already been killed in the past 24 hours. Al-Sadr blamed the United States for the death of his aide, Sayyed Riyadh al-Nuri, but Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki promised a full investigation. Of course, al-Maliki and the Islamic Supreme Council have strong links to Iran, which the United States blames for fomenting violence between Shiite groups in Iraq. In fact, the leadership of al-Maliki's Dawa Party took refuge in Iran during the last years of Saddam Hussein's reign in Iraq, when the Islamic Supreme Council was backed by Iran. Al-Maliki went into exile in Syria but returned after the 2003 U.S. invasion. Al-Sadr's backing helped al-Maliki become prime minister of Iraq after the country's 2005 elections.