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US-UAE nuclear deal to go through 25, October 2009

Posted by thegulfblog.com in American ME Relations, The Emirates.
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Several months ago a video of the half-brother of the ruler of Abu Dhabi emerged showing him videoing himself torturing an Afghan man for an extended period of time. This horribly graphic video clearly showed the work of a vicious and hateful sadist taking pleasure in egregiously inflicting pain  – with the police in attendance – on a lowly Afghan grain dealer. It is truly a sickening video in every way, shape and form. On its release, the story was picked up by news media across America and caused a suitable level out (initial) outrage. Specifically, it was mooted that Congress would veto the nascent US-UAE cooperation on starting the Emirates’ civilian nuclear programme.

However, somewhat unsurprisingly, realpolitik has – as ever – won the day and the programme is back on the table as if nothing ever happened. To the best of my knowledge – having witnessed something of a profound lack of coverage of what seems to me to be an important story – Sheikh Issa is still under house arrest in one of his palatial palaces in the Emirates. Hardship indeed and I am sure that he has learned his lesson.

UAE Sheikh held over torture video 12, May 2009

Posted by thegulfblog.com in American ME Relations, The Emirates.
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According to Robert Worth at the NTY, Sheikh Issa Al Nayhan, the half-brother of the ruler of Abu Dhabi, has been detained under house arrest, following the release of the video of him clearly leading the 45 minute torture of an Afghan grain dealer. This comes 11 months after the authorities had been notified of the tape’s existence and thanks to the release of the tape on ABC news in the US. So far, this incident has caused the US to halt its nuclear deal with Abu Dhabi.

The Darkest of Ironies: UAE & US Torture 24, April 2009

Posted by thegulfblog.com in American ME Relations, The Emirates.
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**This video is horribly graphic in places**

ABC news in America has received and released some of the video footage of a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family torturing an Afghan man. Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan is the half- brother of the country’s crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed. He is clearly visible throughout the 45 minute video leading the group of men – including a man in police uniform – in torturing an Afghan man who he believed was trying to rip him off. Here are examples of some of the torture:

  • Shooting an automatic assault rifle into the ground inches from the bound man
  • Beating him with a cattle prod
  • Inserting a cattle prod into the man’s anus
  • Using the cattle prod on the man’s testicles
  • Setting fire to the man’s testicles with lighter fluid
  • Whilst being held down by the police officer sand is forced into his mouth, nose and eyes
  • Beating the man with wooden planks, particularly one with a nail sticking out the end
  • Salt is then poured over the man’s wounds
  • The man is repeatedly run over by the Sheikh’s huge SUV

What the ABC edited video shows is the utter sadism of Issa. From recording the video in the first place to demanding close ups “to see his suffering” to (literally) rubbing salt into his wounds, the punishment dealt to this man is horrific.

At this stage, usually one would want the world’s strongest power to come out with a forceful statement or even(!) action of some description. But, of course, America simply cannot say anything without sounds ridiculous. It does not matter that the torture carried out by Issa was infinitely worse that the equivalent in America (not that I’d like to be subjected to America’s torture…). The simple fact is that America has yet further lost its moral high ground EXACTLY when it needed it the most. And no, I am not one of those people that blame Obama and not the Bush Administration for all this. So many people seem angry that people know about the torturing not that America actually did the torturing. People’s perspective is getting hopelessly lost in part-political debates and it’s fairly sickening, especially when put into relief again the focus of this story. So far as I can see, this is simply the Bush Administration’s last shot from the grave to finally and for an exceedingly long time tarnish America’s reputation. Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo just weren’t enough for them. They have an epic amount to answer for.