The Sunday LA Times had an Op-Ed by Joseph Margulies about the recent decision by the European Court of Human Rights against Poland for participating in the "rendition" of Abu Zubaydah done by the US CIA. This case, of course, is just one of many renditions done in many different countries, however it is one that has now had a very thorough review by a court.
'Black sites' ruling a rebuke to Poland, the CIA and torture - LA Times:
When it was going on, I thought George Bush and Cheney were wrong for allowing or causing it to be done. It is clear that they, and the CIA knew it was wrong. They went through extensive processes to hide what they were doing. This sets a terrible example. Now we are thumbing our noses at an international court, that Americans might need in the future if atrocities are committed against us. US enemies are now justified in torturing US soldiers because they can say with certainty that the US tortures their enemies.
Was Poland really "guilty?" in this case? -- or did the US bribe Poland in some way to get permission to do the torture on Polish land? It is clear to me, the US was the guilty party. The US citizens involved with it would have also known that what they were doing was against US and international law, and that they are permitted, under US law to refuse to perform an act they thought was illegal. So therefore, they, as individuals are also guilty of a crime.
I can sort of see a situation like depicted on the TV series "24" where a bomb is about to be detonated in hours and we need information to defuse the bomb and save millions of lives. However torturing people weeks, months or years after capture seems like nothing but revenge, or the product of a sick mind! Apparently there was very little useful information obtained from any of the torture performed. I do believe it is time to expose the CIA's "dark side". The participants need to be brought to some sort of justice. Maybe they don't deserve prison, but they should be rebuked, fired, or at least not promoted! Although I'd suspect that a lot of them are already in higher grades of public service.
I think I'd like to read the US Senate Intelligence Committee's report on the rendition if it is released by the administration. However I think it might be very tedious reading, since it is 6200 words, and it may have so much redaction that it might make it impossible to make sense of. I can understand why the Republicans might want to keep the document under wraps, because it certainly puts them in a bad light. The Bush administration did it on its own, and didn't get approval of Congress. In a time of war, a Government might be given some leeway --but this was far in excess of what I think was necessary in the situation.
'Black sites' ruling a rebuke to Poland, the CIA and torture - LA Times:
When it was going on, I thought George Bush and Cheney were wrong for allowing or causing it to be done. It is clear that they, and the CIA knew it was wrong. They went through extensive processes to hide what they were doing. This sets a terrible example. Now we are thumbing our noses at an international court, that Americans might need in the future if atrocities are committed against us. US enemies are now justified in torturing US soldiers because they can say with certainty that the US tortures their enemies.
Was Poland really "guilty?" in this case? -- or did the US bribe Poland in some way to get permission to do the torture on Polish land? It is clear to me, the US was the guilty party. The US citizens involved with it would have also known that what they were doing was against US and international law, and that they are permitted, under US law to refuse to perform an act they thought was illegal. So therefore, they, as individuals are also guilty of a crime.
I can sort of see a situation like depicted on the TV series "24" where a bomb is about to be detonated in hours and we need information to defuse the bomb and save millions of lives. However torturing people weeks, months or years after capture seems like nothing but revenge, or the product of a sick mind! Apparently there was very little useful information obtained from any of the torture performed. I do believe it is time to expose the CIA's "dark side". The participants need to be brought to some sort of justice. Maybe they don't deserve prison, but they should be rebuked, fired, or at least not promoted! Although I'd suspect that a lot of them are already in higher grades of public service.
I think I'd like to read the US Senate Intelligence Committee's report on the rendition if it is released by the administration. However I think it might be very tedious reading, since it is 6200 words, and it may have so much redaction that it might make it impossible to make sense of. I can understand why the Republicans might want to keep the document under wraps, because it certainly puts them in a bad light. The Bush administration did it on its own, and didn't get approval of Congress. In a time of war, a Government might be given some leeway --but this was far in excess of what I think was necessary in the situation.
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