Resistance is Phutile

Those with glass houses... pt II.

I'm sure this whole issue has been on the backburner for a few weeks now, but America's practice of rendition is finally getting the attention it deserves.

Much is being made of Condoleeza Rice's visit to Europe and her likely response to Jack Straw's soft request for "clarification" on the matter. US sources have made it clear that Rice will be on the counter-offensive in response to any European criticism, telling EU leaders that we are all "in it together." The idea is that Rice will remind EU leaders of their own positions and openness to criticism.

While this approach might not in any way seek to either deny or justify the practice of rendition, it seems a good one for the US secretary of state's purposes. As much as European leaders make a fuss now, and express outrage at the idea of prisoner's human rights being violated, it is hard to believe there hasn't been some kind of tacit agreement or 'blind eye' philosophy at work here.
No doubt this will be hotly contested by all concerned. In the spirit of fairness, then, let's suspend our disbelief for a moment to consider the situation.

So hundreds of flights containing prisoners en route to the torture chamber via European soil have, since 9/11, all gone thus far unnoticed.

While denying that any secret CIA prison camps exist in Romania, Razvan Ungureanu, the country's foreign minister, suggests the US may have set up such camps without the knowledge/approval of the Romanian government.

It all seems a bit far fetched to me.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe as Rice's trip unfolds events may convince me that Europe has had no part to play (wittingly, at least) in the transportation of suspects to countries where they can be legally tortured.

I hope so.

posted by Phu @ 11:46 am