.. the US human rights record which all but the most blinkered would recognise as not one of the worst, far from it.

After they divided the world into us and them, "them" have been treated like subhumans. That's the standard we should judge the nations, not how they treat their own, their "elites".

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Last week when Ahmadinejad was talking at Columbia University their treatment of him was absolutely disgraceful.

"In Iran it's different", said Ahmadinejad, "in Iran we respect our guests".

Your first paragraph suffers from the same silliness I criticised before, compounded by a weird prescriptive definition.You may have deep concerns about Bush administration.You may have issues with American arrogance and their ignorance of the wider world.But the fact remains that by and large human rights are well respected in the US under the rule of law, and certainly has a very high place in overall rankings.

I happen to agree with you about Columbia's treatment of Ahmadinejad.What is more it gave him a PR victory so it was stupid as well as bad mannered.An Iranian I know despises Ahmadinejad but told me every Iranian was outraged by the lack of courtesy shown to him.

NLA Kotom calls for abolition of death penalty

A representative of the National Human Rights Commission calls on the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to issue the declaration urging the Thai government to express agreement to terminate the death penalty in the United Nations (UN) conference.

National Legislative Assembly (NLA) member Kotom Areeya (โคทม อารียา) together with human rights organization held a press conference to encourage other NLA members to convince the interim government in supporting the abolition of death penalty, the issue of which will be tabled for discussion at the UN meeting.

Mr. Kotom views that such manner of punishment is not likely to lessen illegal activities and crimes while adding that death sentence is not viable in Thailand.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 October 2007

yes its about time thailand joined the 21st century.

... the fact remains that by and large human rights are well respected in the US under the rule of law, and certainly has a very high place in overall rankings.

Maybe that's why they put "them" in Guantanamo, OUT of US law jurisdiction.

Anyway, I see your point, in the long run Guantanamo is just a short, six year old, aberration. At the moment, however, their well publicised attemtps to circumvent their own laws chip away at their privilege to preach about human rights to the rest of the world.

Another example - people wanted India to take action on Burma. Indians replied that they are not the only democracy to live happily with generals. There's one right next door to them, the source of all sorts of troubles.