Is Syria on our side or not? (Arar, Gonzales, and torture)

[underpants]

The real problem with this Maher Arar situation is that he is not only alive but alive and kicking. One individual, one otherwise insignificant individual came really make a difference and this one seems determined to do so. All the spin in the world can't fix this once it gets in a court of law (Federalist or not).

This is a perfect snapshot of the Bush administration. When caught with your hand *IN* the cookie jar deny it. It didn't happen.

MAHER ARAR (FALSELY ACCUSED OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISM)<--- Hey ABC News is that a crime?

At various stages I had thoughts of committing suicide because, you know, the psychological torture in that cell was so awful to the point where, you know, it just, you know, it is really beyond human imagination.

DAN HARRIS (ABC NEWS)

(Voiceover) Today, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, said the US never sends suspects anywhere without a promise they won't be tortured.

ALBERTO GONZALES (ATTORNEY GENERAL)

We seek to satisfy ourselves that they will not be - that they will not be tortured. And we do that in every case.

Transcript here

So they "seek" to "satify" themselves....that has so many holes and outs in it that it is ridiculous.

But here is the really WEIRD part- Since when is Syria our bestest buddies in the whole wide world? Why would we trust the info they say they gather(unless CIA people are there to see it first hand)? I know it is all about hobgoblins and boogiemen but this is some serious duality going on here-Syria is the co-evil empire with Iran BUT we trust them with torturing the most dangerous people on the planet.

But perhaps I should defer to the Honrable Robert H. Tuttle, the US ambassador

"I don't think there is any evidence that there have been any renditions carried out in the country of Syria. There is no evidence of that. And I think we have to take what the secretary Condoleezza Rice says at face value. It is something very important, it is done very carefully and she has said we do not authorise, condone torture in any way, shape or form."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maher_Arar

[leftchick]

1. he went to Syria by way of Jordan

I imagine they will claim they had no idea Jordan would send him off to Syria for torutre. The point is why the hell did the US send him overseas if not to torture him? WE send detainees off to Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan and a few other "Stans" specifically to torture. I thought that was clear.

[underpants]

2. No it's not clear

but what is clear is that we need a change in the laws to allow us to do it even though we aren't and we never have.