{"id":50155,"date":"2016-09-30T11:27:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-30T16:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/supreme\/legal-commentary\/a-short-list-of-human-rights-reforms-for-the-next-president.html"},"modified":"2016-09-30T11:27:00","modified_gmt":"2016-09-30T16:27:00","slug":"a-short-list-of-human-rights-reforms-for-the-next-president","status":"publish","type":"supreme","link":"https:\/\/supreme.findlaw.com\/legal-commentary\/a-short-list-of-human-rights-reforms-for-the-next-president.html","title":{"rendered":"A Short List of Human Rights Reforms for the Next President"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"Joanne<\/a><\/td>\n

A Short List of Human Rights Reforms for the Next President<\/h1><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n

By JOANNE MARINER <\/h2>
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Monday, Nov. 03, 2008<\/td>\n\n <\/tr>\n <\/table>\n\n

The presidential candidate whom we elect tomorrow (or whom voters in Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, Pennsylvania and a few other key states elect) will face immediate and urgent challenges. He will need to address a badly faltering economy, a grim and costly war in Iraq, a worsening conflict in Afghanistan, and a burgeoning national debt that recently crossed the $10 trillion mark.<\/p>\n\n

He will also take office at a time when Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib are synonymous with human rights abuse, and U.S. authority on human rights issues is largely negative. (In recent years, it has been abusive governments that cite the U.S.’s example, and not for reasons we would like.)<\/p>\n \n \n\n\n

Reforms are needed on several fronts. Three areas that stand out are counterterrorism policy, relations with other governments, and U.S. exceptionalism. Below are a few of Human Rights Watch’s recommendations for change.<\/p>\n\n

Transform Counterterrorism Policy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The Bush Administration’s consistent disregard for human rights in fighting terrorism has been disastrous for the global human rights cause, diminishing America’s moral standing and setting a powerful negative example for abusive governments around the world. Undoing the damage will require a high-profile, public commitment to a new course, and bold steps toward reform.<\/p>\n\n

In order to signal to the nation and to the world that his administration will ensure that US counterterrorism policy is consistent with the country’s basic values, the next president should make the following key changes:<\/p>\n\n

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