Jimmy Carter: US Foreign Policy Since 9/11 Has Been 'Catastrophic' for Global Human Rights

Source

In a scathing op-ed in Monday's New York Times, former US president Jimmy Carter issued a sharp rebuke against a series of Obama administration policies and positions that he described as an affront to human rights and argued are helping to create a US foreign policy that "abets our enemies and alienates our friends."

"While the country has made mistakes in the past," Carter writes, "the widespread abuse of human rights over the last decade has been a dramatic change from the past." Citing the events of September 11, 2001, the 39th president argued that the policy catastrophes since then -- supported by both the Bush and Obama administration -- have been "sanctioned and escalated by bipartisan executive and legislative actions" and were made possible by a citizenry, by and large, unwilling to dissent.

He also goes on to criticizing Gantanamo Bay and

Specifically, Carter cites recent revelations about the US drone program which allows for Obama and select high-level officials to track, target, and kill suspected terrorists or militants -- including US citizens -- without due process or transparent oversight. This would be "unthinkable in previous times," Carter argues.

It so true! Although, imo, it seems that the Military Industrial Complex made perpetual wars inevtiable..
But it is nice to see an ex-prez criticizing the Admin over its secret drones and Big Brother complex!
Carter's article in the NYTimes

In addition to American citizens’ being targeted for assassination or indefinite detention, recent laws have canceled the restraints in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to allow unprecedented violations of our rights to privacy through warrantless wiretapping and government mining of our electronic communications. Popular state laws permit detaining individuals because of their appearance, where they worship or with whom they associate

I believe the drone wars (that are not even officially admitted by the Admin or CIA!) are immoral, and much too transparent a program that Americans and the world should have a right to know about!
This quote says it all!

Instead of making the world safer, America’s violation of international human rights abets our enemies and alienates our friends

And as if to prove his point (Iposted this a while ago, but it is definitely relevant to this!)
US Homeland Security Chair: Drones ‘carry out the policies of righteousness and goodness
Watch the full thing, he talks about not being able to officially admit the program exists, then talks about how he lost 150 constituents in 9/11, then admit the program exists and says they are righteous and good!



So there ya go, The current Admin see their drones and human rights violation of as 'Righteous and Goodness"!!
Ugh!
There is a 17% Civilian kill rate as an average of all drones strikes since 2004!! Source
Damn straight the morality of American has been compromised!!

As concerned citizens, we must persuade Washington to reverse course and regain moral leadership according to international human rights norms that we had officially adopted as our own and cherished throughout the year

Well said Jimmy..

Thoughts?!?!