Winner of peace prize attacks US at award ceremony

The Independent (U.K.) ^ | 12/11/03 | Peter Popham

[Pokey78]

Shirin Ebadi, the first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, used the ceremony in Oslo yesterday to send a tough anti-war message to President George Bush's government in Washington.

The 56-year-old Iranian lawyer and human rights campaigner, her country's first female judge before being stripped of the job in 1979 following the Islamic revolution, told the audience that it was worrying when human rights were violated by the Western democracies that had first introduced the principles.

Without citing the United States by name, she singled out the Iraq war and the treatment of "illegal combatants" in the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay for condemnation.

"In the past two years, some states have violated the universal principles and laws of human rights by using the events of September 11 and the war on international terrorism as a pretext," she said in her acceptance speech.

"Regulations restricting human rights and basic freedoms ... have been justified and given legitimacy under the cloak of the war on terrorism."

She also highlighted the inconsistent way that Western countries treat United Nations Security Council resolutions. "Why are certain decisions and resolutions of the Security Council binding while other resolutions of the council are not?" she said. "Why in the course of the past 35 years have the tens of UN resolutions concerning the occupation of Palestinian territories by the state of Israel not been rapidly applied?"

She pointed out that Iraq was subject to "an attack, a military assault, economic sanctions and finally military occupation", first with Security Council support and subsequently in spite of the council's opposition.

Ms Ebadi's choice for the prize has polarised opinion in Iran, where hardline Islamists have condemned it as a ploy by the US and Israel.

[MarkeyD]

With friends like her, who needs Jimmy Carter?

[ladyinred]

All of the leftists love to say that President Bush has diminished our standing in other countries. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why that has happened, if indeed it has.

The leftist's had made sure in their relentless campaign to destroy his Presidency to make him out to be the biggest liar, stupidest cowboy, warmongering nationalist possible. After they bash him constantly and the world media picks up on this, they then blame him for the bad publicity!

[rudypoot]

It's like Arianna Huffing-a-ton driving up in an SUV to complain about 'global warming'.

[chilepepper]

Of course he attacked the US. Winning the Nobel Peace prize is contingent on attacking the US. This guy, however, is Iranian so is a more honorable person than other Nobel Peace prize winners who also attacked the US when they received the prize, as was in the contract.

_jimmuh has the distinction of not only being a Nobel Peace Prize winner who attacked the US, but of being a traitor to his country as well... this Irani guy is a piker compared to _jimmuh

[RightWhale]

it was worrying when human rights were violated by the Western democracies that had first introduced the principles.

She might have overlooked that part about WE ARE AT WAR.

[Arpege92]

"Of course he attacked the US."

It's not a "he", it's a "she".

[A CA Guy]

After she puts her award in the bank, we need to freeze and confiscate it as a source of terrorism...which would be every time she opens her mouth.

[Dunedain]

Nobel prizes are political awards. A mutual back patting from the world's liberals and tyrants. Otherwords they are as meaningful as Academy Awards.

Nobel prizes have been given to some of the most socialist economists that would have Adam Smith and Mises rolling in their graves.

A Nobel peace prize was given to Arafat. Arafat? Where is he banking all that Palestinian aid anyways?

Somewhere in the Bible is one of my favourite quotes "Evil men will regard wisdom as foolishness and foolishness as wisdom"

Nobel prizes are like those awards you give kids for participation. Or to the only kid who didn't win anything at the school's sports day.

[rudypoot]

Yes, it is a political award but she won it on her reputation of being a human rights advocate. She even overlooked Saddam's motives and deeds and had the nerve to state 'that Iraq was subject to "an attack, a military assault, economic sanctions and finally military occupation"'.

[KellyAdmirer]

I think it's kind of funny that a "peace prize" winner is in global headlines accepting an awarding "attacking" someone. Reminds me of the old Honeymooners episode in which Ralph has an accident on the way to accept a "safe driver" award.

[MosesKnows]

which would be every time she opens her mouth.

Your critisism would have far more force were you able to answer her question first. "Why are certain decisions and resolutions of the Security Council binding while other resolutions of the council are not?" I assume you would agree that is a fair question to ask.

[A CA Guy]

Because the UN Security Council is as corrupt and useless as the rest of the UN...

Next question?