Monday, September 05, 2011

Why we don't torture

Because it figuratively and literally puts us in bed with the bad-guys.

The CIA worked closely with Moammar Gadhafi's intelligence services in the rendition of terror suspects to Libya for interrogation, according to documents seen Saturday by the Associated Press, co-operation that could spark tensions between Washington and Libya's new rulers.

Canada-US efforts had Maher Arar rendered to a regime that now massacres its own people. Abousfian Abdelrazik was rendered to a Sudanese dungeon.  Somehow, however, the staggering hypocrisy of it all will be lost on our wingnuts and morally deficient politicians.

Funny how these big league despots work. Osama bin Ladin, the current government of Iran, Gaddafi, Idi Amin all enjoy(ed) popularity because they stood in opposition to the West's support of oppressive regimes. Of course, in practice this often translated they overthrew the Western backed regime and replaced it with their own brand of oppressive thuggery.  Whether its Bush or Blair, Khomenei or Gaddafi, the end result is the same and as we see now: declared enemies are not always enemies and these great liberal democracies are happy to have the Assads or the Gaddafis do their dirty work. Separated at birth, ours and theirs.

The problem isn't one ideology or another, it's that class of amoral and vainglorious bastards who seem to find themselves heads of governments, states and social movements. Humanity will have actually progressed when we once and for all cast adrift these poisonous personalities.

1 comment:

Steve said...

The truth is out there, so next time some pol rails about freedom and the need for your money and yours sons, remind him of this.