Jul. 24, 2006 - 21:31 MDT

BY FIRE

After all these years of us believing what Amnesty International has been reporting -- should we automatically disbelieve because their information is against our country ?

Or should we maybe doubt our administration when they swear that no torture is involved in our governments dealing with "alleged" terrorists ?

An article from the Associated Press in this morning's Rocky Mountain News has this to say, quoted in full:

REPORT: Jordan tortures terrorism suspects for U.S.

LONDON -- "Security agents in Jordan are torturing terrorism suspects on behalf of the United States in hopes of forcing confessions, the human rights watchdog Amnesty International said in a new report."

"The report said its investigators had identified about 10 cases of men subjected to transfer from U.S. custody to interrogation centers in Jordan, a close U.S. ally in the Middle East."

"Jordan appears to be a central hub in a global complex of secret detention centers operated by the U.S. in coordination with foreign intelligence agencies," said Malcom Smart, director of Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa unit an author of the report."

"The United States has said it does not permit suspects to be shipped to countries that practice torture."

"The report said more that 100 defendants in terrorism-related trials in Jordan have complained over the past decade of being subjected to torture by Jordan's General Intelligence Department."

"The Amnesty report called on Jordan to end its practice of holding suspects in secrecy, reduce the powers of the General Intellilgence Department, promptly investigate and punish any cases of torture, and stop participating in U.S. transfers."

"In June, a Council of Europe investigator said most European states had facilitated the transfer of terrorism suspects from U.S. custody to interrogation centers in Jordan and at least three other countries; Egypt, Poland and Romania."

"Britain and the U.S. dismissed the report, saying it lacked firm evidence."

"U.S. officials have acknowledged flying up to 150 of the most serious suspected terrorists from one country to another, but said they recceive "diplomatic assurances" from authorities that they will not use torture on the detainees they receive."

"In an 87 page report filed in Jnuary with a United Nations committee, the U.S. insisted it is "unequivocally opposed" to torture and that its commitment to the ban "remains unchanged." The January report said President Bush "has made clear that the United States stands against and will not tolerate torture under any circumstances."

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Methinketh the man doth protest too much. After I first read about "extraordinary rendition" the rat smell wafted oer the land as far as I could tell.

What possible reason could our country have to send detainees to other countries ? Other than to have them subjected to forms of interrogation not allowed here in our country.

First the administration denies anything of the sort taking place. Until evidence of flight records from and to various countries and other bits and pieces show up.

To this day, I have seen no testimony by our administration as to just why they thought transporting suspects to other countries would have a postive effect. Mum, hand across mouth mum.

And reluctantly, bit by bit they admit "extraordinary rendition" taking place.

Sumpin' fishy in the woodpile I think. The smoke in the air, must have been generated BY FIRE . . . . . . . . . . .

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