International law experts said Monday Washington’s so-called “war on terror” has eroded human rights worldwide, creating lingering cynicism that the United Nations must now combat. Mary Robinson, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that harsh US detentions and interrogations gave a dangerous signal to other countries that could easily follow suit. Robinson said sweeping changes need to take place to ensure Washington abandons its “war paradigm.”

Mary Robinson: “I think it’s important to be aware that the Bush administration’s damage has been recognized by the subsequent administration, and that, in a way, plays to the lessons learned that we’ve talked about in relation to Northern Ireland, in relation to parts of South America in the past. We are not made more secure by the measures that have been taken, and I think that’s the real message that we will try to bring to the United States and to other countries.”