The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has denied allegations that America has been flying terror suspects around the world to torture them.
Dr Rice confirmed that the US had long participated in the movement of terror suspects between countries but she said that they had never been tortured.
Let’s parse what she says:
Dr Rice said: "The United States does not use the air space or airport of any country for the purpose of transporting a detainee when we believe he or she will be tortured."
Ah, but if the prisoner is dumped off at a secret hellhole prison and tortured by the non-US citizen guards there, well, golly, how could the little ole US of A know that would happen? Also note that she describes no precautions by the US to insure torture does not happen.
Would Condi call this torture?
At least one death has been reported elsewhere, however. In a CIA facility in Kabul known as the "Salt Pit", an officer, described as young and inexperienced, used the "cold treatment" on a detainee, who was left outdoors, naked, throughout a freezing Afghan night. He died of hypothermia.
Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, chief of staff to Colin Powell when he was US Secretary of State, said last week that he knew of more than 70 "questionable deaths" of detainees under US supervision up to the end of 2002, when he left office. That figure, he added, was now around 90.
Either Wilkerson is lying or Rice is lying. I know who I believe. How about you?
It’s a sign of just how far the US has fallen when a Secretary of State travelling to Europe spends all her time denying the US tortures prisoners – and virtually no one believes her.
Update: From Mike in the comments
Military autopsy report here
They have tortured more than one person to death. Swine.
Military autopsy report here
They have tortured more than one person to death. Swine.