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15 November 2007 / Amir A Majid
Issue: 7297 / Categories: Features , Human rights
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Not so sacred cows?

The Bush administration has tested the loyalty of the true friends of the US, says Dr Amir Majid

I f one lines up American sacred cows, respect for the peace-promoting UN, habeas corpus and adherence to the rule of law are bound to front this queue. Unfortunately, to the utter dismay of friends of the US, these three sacred cows have been slaughtered by President Bush and his advisers. The Bush administration has tarnished the American image, violating ideals and leaving many Americans embarrassed to claim that they are the citizens of the land of freedom and liberty.

MARGINALISATION OF THE UN

It is a principle aim of the UN to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”. Before military action against Iraq began in 2003, the Bush administration was asking the UN to hurry up and authorise it and its partners to attack Iraq—an anomalous fidelity to the UN key objective.
When France threatened to veto this “authorisation” because she was genuinely not convinced that war was the only option, the

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Jonathan Askin

Hugh James—Jonathan Askin

London corporate and commercial team announces partner appointment

Michelman Robinson—Daniel Burbeary

Michelman Robinson—Daniel Burbeary

Firm names partner as London office managing partner

Kingsley Napley—Jonathan Grimes

Kingsley Napley—Jonathan Grimes

Firm appoints new head of criminal litigation team

NEWS
Hugh James has secured 500 places on King’s College London’s new AI Literacy for Law course as part of a major firm-wide push to strengthen its responsible use of generative artificial intelligence
The criminal courts will sit to their maximum capacity next year, after the Lord Chancellor David Lammy lifted the cap on Crown Court sitting days
The Lord Chancellor David Lammy has set out his plans for ‘Blitz courts’, a national listing framework and other elements of the Leveson reforms
A former Commerzbank analyst has been sentenced to eight months in prison for lying during an employment tribunal hearing
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has joined with 60 data protection authorities from around the world to call for ‘urgent regulatory attention’ to the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI)
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