Two Torturous Tales

Investigating and analyzing the role of torture as a legitimate tool of a democratic society has taken different paths in the USA and the UK - apparently the Bush and Blair governments collaborated on many aspects of the practice on many occasions since 2003.

In the USA, the President has openly admitted that some malicious "enhanced interrogation techniques" were utilized, but all that is history now. The President said "stop that!", so of course torture has ceased. In accordance with his forward looking attitude, Mr. Obama's government has decided not go mucking around in the past to discover who ordered what and when. And for good measure, the government pardoned all CIA involvement even before it was fully identified and proven. Shades of Gerald Ford.

In the UK, the government is pretty steadfastly denying any complicity in "war on terror" torture. Well, maybe some renditioned detainees were flown over the country, and perhaps a couple of British citizens were arrested and taken to a third country to be interrogated. But that's all really, you can trust us. Fortunately, intelligence and war investigation committees in Parliament keep releasing reports detailing the obstruction and refusal to answer questions on the part of the government, and the papers keep reporting it. Sooner or later, the British government will have to answer to the people's representatives in Parliament.

If only the US Congress had the guts to ask the same questions, and many more. Mr. Obama does not seem to realize that he would be hailed as a hero if he would push to expose the past, identify the transgressors and make the future honorable. So far, the President is no hero. The sad truth is the occupations and wars in Iraq & Afghanistan are major, major money makers for many corporations, companies who have most of Congress bought and paid for. Same as it ever was? Keep looking forward!

Here's a story on the latest Parliament committee report on the UK government's role in illegal extraditions, renditions, and torture.

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5726A620090803