Zimbabwe Opposition Leaders Arrested Again

Zimbabwe police arrested about 20 opposition leaders, including leader Morgan Tsvangirai (pictured above), after storming the opposition headquaters in Harare. Tsvangirai was apparently set to hold a press conference about the arrest and beating of opposition members, including himself, earlier this month.

Germany, the current EU President, has expressed concern, as have numerous other nations. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (bottom picture) is planned to attend a meeting of South African countries where these latest arrests will no doubt be a topic of discussion. No public reprimand is anticipated however.

Rumsfeld Torture Case Dismissed

U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan dismissed a lawsuit today in which former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and three other U.S. military officials were accused of ignoring allegations that U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan tortured prisoners. The case was dropped because human rights groups which brought the charges lacked standing. The court also noted federal law does not allow officials to be held personally liable for actions related to their government service. Additionally, Hogan held that such liability would hamper the war on terror.

If you would like to see the complaints that were filed and other legal documents related to the this case, check out the ACLU site here.

Iran Continues To Hold British Sailors

Iran continues to hold British sailors seized days ago from the long-disputed waters near Iraq and Iran. Iran says that the sailors are in good health and being treated humanely. British PM Tony Blair is still demanding their release and stated that if they are not let go soon the dispute "will move into a different phase." Blair did not elaborate on what this new phase would be, but some speculate it means a more public demand for the sailors release. Meanwhile in Iran, some are saying that the sailors should be tried for treason. Iranian officials have not given much indication as to what they plan to do with the sailors, only that there is an ongoing investigation into the matter.

Iran Still Has British Sailors

Whoops, yesterday I posted that the British sailors seized by Iranian forces for allegedly intruding into Iranian waters had been released. However, that is not true. British Prime Minister Tony Blair is stated today that "I want to get it resolved in as easy and diplomatic a way as possible." Neither Blair, or any of the EU it appears, believe that the troops ever entered Iran's territory. Iran is really straining an already poor relationship with the West. It will be interesting to see just how long they keep the sailors and whether or not they try to negotiate some sort of deal for their return.

British Sailors Released By Iran

As expected, Iran released the British soldiers seized yesterday without incident. Iranian television says that the soldiers confessed to being in Iranian waters, but the British are maintaining they were in Iraqi waters. Either way, the whole thing is over now and everyone is fine. Just a little bit of posturing by the Iranians I believe.

Iran Faces New UN Sanctions

The UN Security Council approved new sanctions against Iran today for continuing its uranium enrichment program. The latest sanctions include a ban on Iranian arms exports and freezing the assets of several individuals and organizations involved in the Iranian nuclear and missile programs.

15 UK Sailors Seized by Iran

Fifteen British sailors patrolling boats off the coast of Iraq were seized by up to six Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy ships for allegedly crossing into Iranian waters. The British soldiers were just about to leave a merchant vessel they were inspecting when they were surrounded by the Iranian Navy and seized.

It is not clear where the soldiers were taken, by the British defense ministry is pursuing the seizure "at the highest level." They have demanded the immediate release of the soldiers and have called on the Iranian ambassador in London.

I suspect that Iran will return the soldiers very shortly. Any harm to the soldiers could potentially lead to war with the Allied forces, and I don't think Iran wants that. For all the saber rattling that Ahmadinejad has done, it seems clear that Supreme Leader does not want an invasion by US-led forces.

Former Iraqi VP Hanged

Taha Yassin Ramadan, vice president during Saddam Hussein's rule, was hanged Tuesday. He was sentenced last month by the Iraq High Tribunal for his part in the murder of 148 Iraqis in 1982 and an appeals court upheld the sentence last week. Like most of the High Tribunal decisions, Ramadan's case was opposed by a few members of just about every group.

Sabian Mandaeans Face Death and Forced Conversion

The Sabian Mandaeans, a small religious group in Iraq and Iran, are facing "extinction" in the lawless climate of Iraq. The followers of Adam, Noah and John the Baptist predate Islam and Christianity. Now they claim that Islamic extremists are raping, murdering, and forcing them to convert. It is estimated that over 80% of Mandaeans have fled the country, with most of them resettling in Syria and Jordan. Mandaean leaders are hoping they will receive refugee status in the West, but Laurens Jolles of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees says they will have to "wait in line" with the rest of the regions threatened groups. Unfortunately, they appear to have been waiting since the invasion in 2003 with no relief in sight.

What is "Terrorism"?

It's always in the news and being used as a justification for laws and policies, so what exactly is terrorism? Anthony Clark Arend has an interesting post discussing his proposed definition and how it applies to the Padilla case. He has put forth the following meaning of "terrorism":

the threat or use of force, undertaken for political purposes, by a non-state actor that intentionally targets civilians and other noncombatants in violation of existing law relating to the conduct of hostilities.

I think this is a very good definition assuming that religious motivations are included under "political purposes". A universal definition would benefit the international community as they seek to work together in preventing and punishing terrorist activities. There are currently over 100 definitions for terrorism, so I do not expect there will ever be a standardized meaning. As Arend points out in his post however, the term carries a lot of weight and should not be thrown around to prejudice suspects.

US Upset with German Search for CIA Agents

American officials are displeased with Germany for getting Interpol involved in the hunt for CIA agents wanted in connection with the rendition of German citizen Khaled el-Masri (Reuters picture). El-Masri claims he was taken from Macedonia in 2003 and tortured in Afghanistan for five months before being dumped in Albania (original post here). The United States refuses to cooperate citing national security concerns. El-Masri's attempts to bring suit in the US have been dismissed because of the state secrets privilege.

55 Guantanamo Detainees To Be Transferred

The second round of annual administrative review boards has been completed by the Department of Defense and will result in the transfer of 55 detainees from Guantanamo Bay. That leaves 273 detainees at the facility. Each of these are considered to be enemy combatants and threats to the safety of the United States and its allies. The State Department contends that Guantanamo Bay is the best place to keep these dangerous persons. While there have been calls for the facility to close, the US might have a point in that there has been no plan presented for what to do with the detainees. If the international community can come up with something, maybe Guantanamo can finally be shut down.