Leading the World
Lovely:

By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS, Associated Press Writer

GENEVA - The U.N. Human Rights Commission rejected Cuba's attempt Thursday to force an investigation into the treatment of detainees at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay.

The vote on Cuba's resolution was 22-8, with 23 other nations abstaining. The other nations supporting the failed effort by Cuba were China, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Sudan, Malaysia, Guatemala and Mexico.

The resolution, which noted the "serious concern" expressed by U.N. experts about the conditions for terrorist suspects held at Guantanamo, would have asked the United States "to authorize an impartial and independent fact-finding mission" to the center.

Cuba introduced the resolution after the commission approved a resolution to continue reporting on the human rights situation in the communist island nation.

The European Union already said it planned to oppose the Cuban bid, which effectively would have been a reprimand to the United States.

Juan Antonio Fernandez, the Cuban delegate who presented the resolution, expressed disappointment in the EU members.

"Not even one of them dared to challenge the threat of the hegemonic superpower," Fernandez said.

Former Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, head of the U.S. delegation, welcomed the vote. "Many of our friends here recognized that the United States is a leader in human rights," Boschwitz said. "We were very satisfied that those who supported our position talked about our judiciary and the independence of our judiciary."

Would that be the same independent judiciary that Tom DeLay loves so much?

And yes, throughout the world, from prison cells in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay to Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador, many people recognize that the United States has always been a leader in human rights abuses.
- posted by TJ @ 10:07 AM