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U.N. panel takes U.S. to task over Katrina
AP ^ | 7/28/06 | BRADLEY S. KLAPPER,

Posted on 07/28/2006 10:50:17 AM PDT by SF Republican

The United States must better protect poor people and African-Americans in natural disasters to avoid problems like those after Hurricane Katrina, a U.N. human rights panel said Friday.

The U.N. Human Rights Committee said poor and black Americans were "disadvantaged" after Katrina, and the U.S. should work harder to ensure that their rights "are fully taken into consideration in the reconstruction plans with regard to access to housing, education and health care."

The United States said federal and Louisiana state authorities were examining many of the issues raised by the committee.

The U.N. panel said it wants to be informed of the results of inquiries into the alleged failure to evacuate inmates from a prison, and into allegations that authorities did not allow New Orleans residents to cross a bridge into Gretna, La.

It offered no further specifics about problems it found with the Katrina response, or possible solutions.

"I think the president and everyone in the United States said that Katrina was something that no one was entirely prepared for and it did raise huge challenges for the United States," said Robert Harris, of the office of the Legal Adviser of the U.S. State Department. "We're looking at a large list of lessons from Katrina and trying to make sure that the next time, God forbid something like that happens, we are better prepared."

The panel of 18 independent experts, which reviews the practices of the 156 countries who have ratified the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, said it was concerned about information that blacks and poor people "were disadvantaged by the rescue and evacuation plans implemented when Hurricane Katrina hit."

Criticism by the panel brings no penalties beyond international scrutiny.

The Katrina findings comprised two paragraphs in a 12-page release of findings that also included recommendations on U.S. policies in the war on terror.

The U.S. mission to the U.N.'s European headquarters in Geneva criticized the committee's examination of many issues it said were outside the scope of its mandate, particularly dealing with the war on terrorism.

But on domestic issues, it said "the committee has made recommendations in matters under its competence, including efforts to address race and sex discrimination, capital punishment, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and voting rights."

The committee also addressed reports of de facto racial segregation in public schools.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: katrina; un
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To: SF Republican
That and Israel bashing are its two main pursuits. I don't think what happened in Katrina's aftermath was a human rights violation. No one was deprived of their life or liberty. How we responded to it is none of UN's damn business.

(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)

61 posted on 07/28/2006 1:15:19 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: traditional1
Also, Ginsberg is the worst of the bunch,

Maybe, but, Souter is hot on her heels. I see the un, international law and the icc as branches from the same tree. Right or wrong, that's my opinion.

Bush needs to appoint another conservative to the bench, I most assuredly agree.

62 posted on 07/28/2006 1:27:47 PM PDT by processing please hold (If you can't stand behind our military, stand in front of them.)
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To: pbrown
"Bush needs to appoint another conservative to the bench, I most assuredly agree."

We can only hope...the Republicans should force the nominee through, implementing a USSC case to once and for all remove the filibuster from the nomination process in the Senate, where the Minority blocks candidates regularly.

The Republican party today has NO CAHONES; they cave in to the Liberal activists, politicians, and the polls day after day. Until they confront the enemies of this country and its Constitution (the Democrats and their socialist agenda), we will be beyond the point of no return to America as we know it, if we haven't passed that point already........

63 posted on 07/28/2006 1:32:14 PM PDT by traditional1
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To: traditional1
The Republican party today has NO CAHONES; they cave in to the Liberal activists, politicians, and the polls day after day.

Damn, ain't that the cold hard truth.

Sorry it took me so long, I was sesarching for a bookmarked article on Souter, here it it. It's Sosa-v-Alvarez.

http://www.nationalreview.com/adler/adler200407210842.asp

[snip]

While the spirit of Souter's opinion is quite restrictive, there is little doubt that some lower courts — and many academics — will see the opinion as a green light to keep trying to bring ATS claims for all sorts of alleged international injustices. International-law professors and human-rights activists are already highlighting language in Souter's opinion that seems to embrace some of the reasoning underlying several lower-court decisions allowing various ATS suits to go forward. The first such suits in federal courts were brought by foreign citizens against foreign officials alleging severe human-rights abuses overseas, such as torture and mass atrocities. More recently, human-rights and environmental activists have brought suits on behalf of foreign nationals against multinational corporations for their alleged complicity in the rights abuses of foreign regimes. In one suit, for example, U.S. plaintiffs' attorneys are suing corporations that did business with South Africa's Apartheid government, alleging these companies were complicit in the regime's human rights abuses — and that only a whopping tort settlement in a U.S. court can right the wrong.

A toe in the door?

64 posted on 07/28/2006 1:51:46 PM PDT by processing please hold (If you can't stand behind our military, stand in front of them.)
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To: PattonFan

I can't beleive we're still paying millions for that bunch of bloated, bumbling , pompous assh*les to occupy prime real estate in NYC.
Maybe we can get the IDF to "deliberately target" UN headquarters.
Oh, my achin' head........


65 posted on 07/28/2006 1:56:38 PM PDT by 95 Bravo ("Freedom is not free.")
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To: SF Republican

well, they're right .. next time there's an earthquake or tsuname or flood or famine anywhere else in the world, instead of sending aid there, Uncle Sam should write a check to our indigenous poor.


66 posted on 07/28/2006 2:00:52 PM PDT by EDINVA
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To: pbrown
"some lower courts — and many academics "

Yup, the usual suspects...judicial activism is thriving.

Whenever these "agrieved parties" are "made whole", the taxpayers' and/or consumers' pockets are emptied, and the Lawyers' pockets are filled....

67 posted on 07/28/2006 2:01:12 PM PDT by traditional1
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To: traditional1
Yup, the usual suspects...judicial activism is thriving.

Agreed. Always the same crowd.

Whenever these "agrieved parties" are "made whole", the taxpayers' and/or consumers' pockets are emptied, and the Lawyers' pockets are filled....

You hit the nail on the head.

This is a good article about Bolton and International law. What worries me is, who'll come after him? How that man can stay in the same room with those scallywags is beyond me. Will they be as pro-American as he, or will a kerryesque type be our Ambassador after he leaves? I guess only the shadow knows....

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2031/

68 posted on 07/28/2006 2:14:41 PM PDT by processing please hold (If you can't stand behind our military, stand in front of them.)
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To: 95 Bravo
I can't beleive we're still paying millions for that bunch of bloated, bumbling , pompous assh*les to occupy prime real estate in NYC. Maybe we can get the IDF to "deliberately target" UN headquarters

For the UN, time is short. Especially if the muslims in this Country "start anything". Once the citizens of this nation become armed in defense of itself, and war reaches these shores....I see the UN as a casualty.

69 posted on 07/28/2006 2:15:24 PM PDT by PattonFan (Not me, I don't believe in paying for the same real estate twice." George C. Scott , "Patton")
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To: traditional1

I should have added a caution and barf alert to that site. You might need a bath after leaving there. Just focus on the message not the messenger. :-)


70 posted on 07/28/2006 2:23:29 PM PDT by processing please hold (If you can't stand behind our military, stand in front of them.)
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To: pbrown
"should have added a caution and barf alert "EEEEWWWWW. No problem.
71 posted on 07/28/2006 2:25:23 PM PDT by traditional1
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To: SF Republican

If only we had a UN Katrina Resolution...


72 posted on 07/28/2006 2:26:46 PM PDT by freeperfromnj
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To: traditional1
Thanks.

I wish Bolton could be a permanent fixture there until we can figure a way to get rid of that den of socialist, leftist, marxist, communists and any other 'ist' you can think of.

73 posted on 07/28/2006 2:33:27 PM PDT by processing please hold (If you can't stand behind our military, stand in front of them.)
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To: SF Republican

The UN can take their opinions and stick 'em where the sun don't shine!


74 posted on 07/28/2006 2:47:42 PM PDT by BnBlFlag (Deo Vindice/Semper Fidelis "Ya gotta saddle up your boys; Ya gotta draw a hard line")
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To: SF Republican

Katrina affected only blacks??? How did I not know that???
Thanks, UN, for this information!


75 posted on 07/28/2006 3:41:41 PM PDT by jch10
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To: pbrown
"I wish Bolton could be a permanent fixture there"

I wish my two RINO Senators (DeWhiner and Voinovich) were like John Bolton, too ! A few "John Bolton's" in the Senate on the Republican side would help immensely...

76 posted on 07/28/2006 4:07:34 PM PDT by traditional1
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To: jch10
"Katrina affected only blacks??? How did I not know that??? "

You probably didn't know John Effin Kerry served in Viet Nam, too, right?

77 posted on 07/28/2006 4:10:05 PM PDT by traditional1
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To: PattonFan
Ron Paul, did try to get us out of the un. Only 54 of the House went on the record agreeing to HR 1146.

54---yea
Did not vote---12
Voted nay---369

78 posted on 07/28/2006 8:18:06 PM PDT by processing please hold (If you can't stand behind our military, stand in front of them.)
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To: traditional1

My Senators are Mary Landrieu (i feel your pain) and David Vitter. We here thank God for him.


79 posted on 07/28/2006 8:29:39 PM PDT by processing please hold (If you can't stand behind our military, stand in front of them.)
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To: pbrown

One outa two is good....we in Ohio are batting zero on Senators, but I'll be damned if I'll vote for a Democrat..


80 posted on 07/28/2006 8:52:07 PM PDT by traditional1
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