US army warns Iraqi forces on detainee abuse News
US army warns Iraqi forces on detainee abuse

[JURIST] Previously undisclosed US military documents show ongoing Iraqi mistreatment of prisoners, including photos of bruised and beaten detainees, which US officials fear may damage the image of the new security forces in the eyes of the Iraqi public. The revelations come as Iraq's military and police have assumed greater responsibility in countering insurgent forces and while senior US military officers say they have cautioned Iraqi authorities repeatedly against abusing prisoners. Human rights groups have denounced the abuses since a 94-page report from Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] in January found that torture and ill-treatment of prisoners was commonplace in Iraq. US officers say that various senior members of the new Iraqi government have recognized the problem and privately expressed their willingness to work to end it. Thursday's Washington Post has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

UN General Assembly approves Palestine partition plan

The UN General Assembly approved UN Resolution Resolution 181 (II) on November 29, 1947, recommending that the British Mandate for Palestine be split into a Jewish state, an Arab state, and an international zone for Jerusalem. The vote in the assembly was 33 for to 13 against, with 10 abstentions. The resolution sparked a war between Palestinian Arabs and Jews in 1947 and a wider war after Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon invaded the new State of Israel in 1948. Read Resolution 181 (II).

UN divided Palestine between Arabs and Jews

On November 29, 1947, the UN General Assembly voted to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab territories, leading to the establishment of a Jewish state the following year. Read UN General Assembly Resolution 181.

Defense Secretary Robert McNamara resigns during Vietnam Conflict

On November 29, 1967, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara announced that he was resigning from his office to accept an appointment as head of the World Bank. The announcement came as the Vietnam Conflict was becoming increasingly unpopular in the United States and abroad.