Arrivederci, Baby!
The viewing public is bloated on a daily diet of kidnappings associated with the Iraq scenario. We need only hear about these kidnappings and murders to know that terrorism is terrible and evil incarnate. The kidnapped persons are even tortured before they are killed. Bad stuff.
Next, witness the official U.S. policy and reaction to these illegal acts. GWB authorizes the CIA to kidnap, render and torture suspects, casting extradition and the rules of law aside.
That is what purportedly happened in a recent case going before the Italian court. Militant Egyption cleric Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, aka Abu Omar, was snatched off a Milan street in 2003, then whisked off, he claims to a U.S. base in Germany, and next to Egypt, where he says he was tortured. It is all very Tom Cruise a la MI III, and certainly, not based in the real world of legality. (Come to think of it, GWB has borrowed from the Tom Cruise playbook on more than one occasion.)
It took 25 U.S. and 5 Italian agents, plus one U.S. Air Force Colonel, to orchestrate this kidnapping from the streets of a friendly nation. So in execution, it was not exactly the stuff of MI III. This in itself is another example of why the U.S. is doomed to failure in the War on Terror. If it takes 31 Bush league operatives with untold support assets to pull off this insignificant "snatch," how can we possibly prevail? I don't see any heroes attempting to snatch up Sadr on the streets of Baghdad.
"In Italy," the Times concludes, "A judge will now have to decide whether the cases go to trial." This is the proper approach to the problem of terrorism. It will be the first case worldwide of trying local officials for committing "extraordinary rendition."
Hopefully, the Italians will indict and extradite these operatives who "walked the dark side." It is noteworthy that Italian courts are outside the purvue of phoney U.S. laws permitting illegal actions by U.S. agents. GWB cannot issue pardons to these people.
When and if these CIA operatives are indicted, the administration will face only two choices. The first is to comply, thereby admitting that the U.S. is committed to a world order based upon law. The 2nd option will be to deny the extradition requests, thereby proving that the U.S. is now operating outside of the international legal community.
These are simple, clearly defined choices. GWB should understand this, as no nuance is involved. Before he makes this decision, he should consider what differentiates the U.S. from the terrorists.
Terrorists never submit to the rules of law.
Next, witness the official U.S. policy and reaction to these illegal acts. GWB authorizes the CIA to kidnap, render and torture suspects, casting extradition and the rules of law aside.
That is what purportedly happened in a recent case going before the Italian court. Militant Egyption cleric Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, aka Abu Omar, was snatched off a Milan street in 2003, then whisked off, he claims to a U.S. base in Germany, and next to Egypt, where he says he was tortured. It is all very Tom Cruise a la MI III, and certainly, not based in the real world of legality. (Come to think of it, GWB has borrowed from the Tom Cruise playbook on more than one occasion.)
It took 25 U.S. and 5 Italian agents, plus one U.S. Air Force Colonel, to orchestrate this kidnapping from the streets of a friendly nation. So in execution, it was not exactly the stuff of MI III. This in itself is another example of why the U.S. is doomed to failure in the War on Terror. If it takes 31 Bush league operatives with untold support assets to pull off this insignificant "snatch," how can we possibly prevail? I don't see any heroes attempting to snatch up Sadr on the streets of Baghdad.
"In Italy," the Times concludes, "A judge will now have to decide whether the cases go to trial." This is the proper approach to the problem of terrorism. It will be the first case worldwide of trying local officials for committing "extraordinary rendition."
Hopefully, the Italians will indict and extradite these operatives who "walked the dark side." It is noteworthy that Italian courts are outside the purvue of phoney U.S. laws permitting illegal actions by U.S. agents. GWB cannot issue pardons to these people.
When and if these CIA operatives are indicted, the administration will face only two choices. The first is to comply, thereby admitting that the U.S. is committed to a world order based upon law. The 2nd option will be to deny the extradition requests, thereby proving that the U.S. is now operating outside of the international legal community.
These are simple, clearly defined choices. GWB should understand this, as no nuance is involved. Before he makes this decision, he should consider what differentiates the U.S. from the terrorists.
Terrorists never submit to the rules of law.
posted by rangeragainstwar at 9:17 PM
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