While the news that the United States has completely withdrawn from the United Nations Human Rights Council is still rumor and gossip and hearsay, I am preparing to be completely appalled and disheartened by the (probably true) news. Well, read this, via Boing Boing, the Human Rights Tribune, and Digg. Good Lord!

The news that the US has completely withdrawn from the Human Rights Council spread like wildfire Friday afternoon (June 6) through the corridors of the Palais des Nations in Geneva. There was general consternation amongst diplomats and NGOS. Reached by phone, the American mission in Geneva neither confirmed nor denied the report. Although unofficial, the news comes at a time of long opposition by the Bush administration to the reforms which created the Human Rights Council in June 2006. Washington announced from the beginning that the US would not be an active member but its observer status would mean that it could intervene during the sessions. To date even this has rarely happened.

When a country starts doing things like this, it is alway in fortification against a slew of lawsuits against the United States on human rights issues. Withdrawing from the Geneva Convention is definitely bad enough but withdrawing from the United Nations Human Rights Council is unforgivable. Score another point for moving to Berlin!