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kmack
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Operation Extraordinary Rendition
The United States (namely the C.I.A.) is currently transferring suspected terrorists to countries in the world known for their brutal, torturous, interrogation techniques. Two CIA airplanes (a Gulfstream V and a Boeing 737) have been transporting suspected terrorists to countries such as Afghanistan, Egypt, and Uzebekistan for interrogation. As we have seen, the brutal techniques used in Abu Ghraib, were met with public outrage, and a genuine shake-up of the commanding officers at the prison. While most Americans became aware of that, less know about the current U.S. methods. An former British ambassador to Uzebekistan , Craig Murray, says the Uzbeks very regularly used very brutal torture a lot of beating, breaking of limbs, smashing of limbs, smashing of teeth, pulling away skin with pliers, pulling out fingernails and toe nails.". He also says he knows of at least one death (caused by "boiling") that was brought to his attention. *The program began under an executive order signed by President George H.W. Bush in December 1992.*
International Reactions
The rendition program has been denounced in Sweden after two suspected terrorists in Stockholm were turned over to the United States, sent to Egypt on a CIA plane and allegedly tortured.
In Italy, a federal magistrate is investigating whether the Aviano Air Base, a facility in northeastern Italy used by U.S. forces, was used in a CIA scheme to grab terror suspect Hassan Osama Nasr, known as Abu Omar, off the streets of Milan and ship him off to Egypt.
A German citizen, Khaled el Masri, says he was taken on a CIA plane and sent to Afghanistan where he says he was stripped, beaten and abused. He was interrogated by American agents for months, el Masri said, and at one point was told "you are here in a land where there are no laws. No one knows about you or where you are." El Masri was released by the United States after four months without being charged with any crime.
Maher Arar, a Canadian, was sent to Syria in 2003 where he says he was tortured for 10 months. Mamdouh Habib, an Australian, claims he was transferred by U.S. agents from Pakistan to Egypt in 2001, where he says he was tortured for six months before being taken to Guantanamo Bay.
While we may find ourselves able to justify the torture of terrorists, many of these men are simply suspected terrorists, or suspected in aiding terrorism. It should be noted that Saddam Huessein was widely criticized for torturing people, does this make us a little hypocritical? Also it is widely agreed in law enforcement that torture is not as effective as thought. In many cases it creates false leads, cases of people saying anything to "stop the beating".
Is it acceptable for the United States to condone the torture of suspects? Can we continue to fly suspected terrorists into countries who employ brutal interrogation techniques?
