Bush Unloads on Burmese Junta

State Dept. report drops China from top 10 worst abusers despite poor record

(NEWSER) - The State Department has taken China off its list of the world's 10 worst human rights abusers, the New York Times reports. China's human rights record "remained poor," the department's annual report said, with abuses including "extrajudicial killings, torture, and coerced confessions of prisoners." Officials declined to explain why the country was dropped from the list or whether it had anything to do with the Beijing Olympics. More»

Clinton announces change in policy, says sanctions will remain

(NEWSER) - The US will directly engage with Burma's military leadership in addition to its current sanctions, Hillary Clinton said yesterday. The secretary of State acknowledged that sanctions alone had failed to change "the lack of democracy in Burma and the authorities’ abysmal record on human rights," and it was time for a strategy change. More»

Obama accepts peace prize by saying force morally justified

(NEWSER) - President Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize today with, paradoxically, a defense of war. Obama began his speech by acknowledging the controversy surrounding his reward, both because his accomplishments are slight and because of the wars he presides over. “We will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes,” he said, and the use of force will sometimes be “not only necessary but morally justified. … The belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it.” More»

He shares his brother's disregard for human rights

(NEWSER) - The perception that Cuba is less repressive under Raúl Castro than Fidel is false, Human Rights Watch says. Dissidents are still harassed by the state, subject to arbitrary detention—532 such cases in the first half of 2009 alone—fired. or denied work. The government also continues to pressure friends and family into cutting contact with suspected dissidents. More»

(NEWSER) - Burma’s imprisoned opposition leader may be OK with a “new approach” toward the country’s oppressive military regime, Sen. Jim Webb told reporters today. Webb met with Aung San Suu Kyi on Saturday, during his visit to the country. “It was my clear impression from her that she is not opposed to lifting some sanctions,” said Webb, who is himself a proponent of lifting the restrictions, in part because China ignores them. More»