Obama's Pussy Riot Hypocrisy

Obama's Selective Disappointment.

Courtesy: theatlanticwire.com

(PROVIDENCE, RI) - Regarding the two-year prison sentences given three young women from the Russian punk band Pussy-Riot, a White House spokesman says President Obama is "disappointed by the verdict, including the disproportionate sentences."

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What a shame Mr. Obama is not "disappointed" by some other injustices!

For instance, in Bahrain medical personnel were imprisoned and tortured for treating injured anti-government protestors. But Bahrain is our ally. So apparently this did not "disappoint" President Obama.

In Saudi Arabia and Yemen, public beheading or stoning to death is still prescribed for murder, adultery, sodomy, drug use, witchcraft or renouncing Islam. The punishment for robbery is amputation of a hand. But the Saudi and Yemeni dictators are our friends. So President Obama does not consider these punishments "disproportionate."

The U.S. itself has secretly delivered thousands of captives to torture chambers in Egypt, Libya, Pakistan, Syria or Uzbekistan where they are made to "confess."

Other captives are held and tortured directly by the U.S. at Abu Ghraib, Bagram or Guantanamo. The prisoners are held without trial - some for more than 10 years. Their families cannot visit them or even learn if they are still alive.

But these horrors do not seems to trouble Mr. Obama.

There are also no trials when Obama updates the list of suspects - including American citizens - he wants killed by drone strikes.

And last New Year's Eve Obama signed the infamous "National Defense Authorization Act." Section 1021 of this law authorizes the president to order indefinite detention without trial - even of American citizens. How could anyone who has sworn to uphold the Constitution approve such a thing?

Rod Driver studied engineering and mathematics at the University of Minnesota, receiving a Ph.D. in mathematics in 1960. He worked at Sandia Laboratories in Albuquerque for six years before taking a teaching position at the University of Rhode Island for 30 years. Rod says he became a 'peacenik' in 1951 (thanks to a few weeks on Pariss Island). He became particularly active in opposition to U.S. wars in Indochina and U.S. involvement in overthrowing governments and supporting dictators in Latin America and Iran. As the Vietnam war was winding down Rod began paying attention to the abuse of Palestinians - enabled with U.S. weapons and dollars, which has never stopped. Rod is the founder and president of the non-profit Justice First Foundation.

In Rhode Island Rod was an elected delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1986, Then he was elected a state representative for 10 years. At this time he is not in office. You can write to Rod Driver at this address: rod@roddriver.com