[Anyone] insanity in our gummint:

[anubis at laplaza.org]

This ambassador is yet another example of a career diplomat who is sadly (and hopefully, only 
temporarily) limited in intelligence, integrity and courage. - And the same to the Israelis, but there's 
nothing very temporary in their like limitations. We can hope otherwise, of course.


Thos Myers <totem at laplaza.org> said:

> 
> Who forgot to tell Ambassador Wilkins that the US tortures prisoners?
> 
> Saturday 19 January 2008
> 
> Toronto - A training manual for Canadian diplomats lists the United States
> as a country where prisoners risk torture and abuse, citing interrogation
> techniques such as stripping prisoners, blindfolding and sleep
> deprivation.
> 
> The Foreign Affairs Department document, released Friday, singled out the
> U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay. It also names Israel,
> Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Syria as places
> where inmates could face torture.
> 
> The listing drew a sharp response from the U.S., a key NATO ally and
> trading partner, which asked to removed from the manual.
> 
> "We find it to be offensive for us to be on the same list with countries
> like Iran and China. Quite frankly it's absurd," U.S. Ambassador David
> Wilkins told The Associated Press. "For us to be on a list like that is
> just ridiculous."
> 
> He said the U.S. does not authorize or condone torture. "We think it
> should be removed and we've made that request. We have voiced our opinion
> very forcefully," Wilkins said.
> 
> Michael Mendel, the Israeli Embassy spokesman, said Israel's Supreme Court
> "is on record as expressly prohibiting any type of torture. If Israel is
> included in the list in question, the ambassador of Israel would expect
> its removal," he said.
> 
> A Canadian citizen, Omar Khadr, is in custody at Guantanamo, but Canada
> has long publicly said it accepts U.S. assurances that Khadr is being
> treated humanely.
> 
> The government inadvertently released the manual to lawyers for Amnesty
> International who are working on a lawsuit involving alleged abuse of
> Afghan detainees by local Afghan authorities, after the detainees were
> handed over by Canadian troops.
> 
> Canada said the manual is for training, and does not amount to official
> government policy.
> 
> "It is not a policy document or any kind of a statement of policy. As such
> it does not convey the government's views or positions," said Neil Hrab, a
> spokesman for Canada's Foreign Affairs Department.
> 
> "The training manual purposely raised public issues to stimulate
> discussion and debate in the classroom."
> 
> Human rights groups have long called on Canada to pressure the United
> States to return Khadr from Guantanamo. They say Canada has not done
> enough for Khadr, who has been in custody since he was 15. Khadr is
> accused of tossing a grenade that killed one U.S. soldier and wounded
> another in Afghanistan in 2002.
> 
> He is the son of an alleged al-Qaida financier, and his family has
> received little sympathy in Canada, where they've been called the "First
> Family of Terrorism."
> 
> Dennis Edney, one of Khadr's lawyers, said the foreign affairs document
> shows that Canada says one thing publicly but believes something else
> privately.
> 
> "Canada was well aware that Omar Khadr's allegations of being tortured had
> a ring of truth to it. Canada has not once raised the protection of Omar
> Khadr when there are such serious allegations," Edney said. "What does
> that say to you about Canada's commitment to the rule of law and human
> rights? It talks on both sides of its face."
> 
> http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011908C.shtml
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