Sweet Pandora, Uncle Donald and Truths of Convenience
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Torture – The Stain That Remains
By Robert Billyard
As legend goes there was a Greek lady by the name of Pandora who lived many centuries ago. She was in possession of a mysterious jar, but under strict orders that it was never to be opened. Predictably, overwhelmed by idle curiosity, she opened the jar and let evil out into the world. Pandora could be accused of being very irresponsible for not weighing the need to satisfy her curiosity against the possible consequences of opening the jar. Assuming she was a woman of some conscience she should have felt profound regret for her actions.
Now we have a modern variation of the legend that is hard fact though there are those that would like to pretend it is a fiction, and here too we can only wonder if Uncle Donald regrets his actions.
The story unfolds in the aftermath of 9/11. The US has declared war on terrorism and it seems that in apprehending terrorists no stone is to be left unturned and we learn, somewhat belatedly, that the gloves were to come off- in other words- orders were given directly from the US Secretary of Defense; Donald Rumsfeld that torture was to be used.
Then came the scandal at Abu Ghraib, and Guantanamo became a international human rights cause celebre. The term ‘extraordinary rendition’ was coined as a process where by terrorist suspects are arbitrarily detained by the CIA, flown to secret sites around the world, held indefinitely and tortured.
Most recently it has been revealed that several Eastern European countries were used as sites as part of this international gulag. British cabinet ministers are alarmed at the possible political fallout as over 200 of these rendition flights stopped over on British soil.
Subsequently, US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice has been racing around Europe denying that the US uses torture, but the truth is out. Too make matters worse both her and Rumsfeld have a credibility problem as they have uttered innumerable falsehoods pertaining to the Iraq war.
When Uncle Donald took the lid off the torture jar he did not do it out of idle curiosity, but out of malice. And to be fair he had the tacit approval of colleagues. Like Pandora we might speculate as to whether he weighed the consequences especially the long term ones. For even though torture might serve an immediate purpose putting the lid back on the jar will prove more difficult.
Even if the US actually quit using torture at this moment would it be believed? Not likely. The suspicion will linger and will always be an historical blot. Tragically, the US has abrogated its right to lecture others on human rights.
It is one thing for countries of insignificance, like Iran and Syria to resort to torture as they are simply isolated internationally and become pariahs. But when the world’s singular superpower resorts to the same sort of behavior the reverberations are global and other countries are drawn into the web of tyranny.
Now these reverberations hit home here in Canada. The US is seeking the extradition of a Canadian citizen Abdullah Khadr as an alleged terrorist. Whether he is guilty or innocent is not the issue but whether he will receive fair treatment or be subjected to torture are persistent issues especially in the aftermath of the Maher Arar case.
Khadr’s history is a murky tale of international intrigue; no doubt a mixture of fact, fiction and half-truths. But even on a cursory reading some things don’t add up. He was held in Pakistan and then released to come to Canada. Pakistan is known to work closely with the US in the apprehension of terrorists. So the question arises why didn’t the US simply kidnap him in Pakistan as other suspects have been?
It has been suggested that Canada seek guarantees for Khadr’s treatment but under the circumstances it can justify not honouring the extradition at all. There is no practical means of ensuring that guarantees would be honoured and once extradited the situation would be beyond Ottawa’s control.
There is an abiding suspicion that many of the detainees at Quantanamo were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and their incarceration had more to do politics than justice. The US government had to be seen to be acting swiftly and decisively and the flouting of international law, legal rights and process, along with torture were handy expediencies. Oddly, none of the detainees has ever been brought to trial, and the reason they are still there may be because to release them would be a tacit admission of ill-advised expedience.
In dealing with these detainees the US is not only flouting international law, but its own laws.
If Khadr is extradited he could easily disappear into the gulag; the same one Maher Arar, just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, was so fortunate as to escape.
The request to extradite Khadr comes at a difficult time in Canada US relations. US intransigence on a number of issues is part of the problem- not only with Canada but other allies. South of the 49th it will be seen by many as a loyalty test for an ‘uppity’ Canada. North of the line it will be seen as a test of sovereignty and of political and judicial resolve, but ultimately it must be based on the law and the likelihood that Khadr is being sold into torture and legal limbo.
Canada has a less than exemplary record in defending the rights of its citizens. Especially now, our officialdom and political elite have a hard time differentiating between cooperation and capitulation. Truths of convenience are too easily manufactured and facile expediencies become a substitute for political and judicial resolve.
There is a growing momentum in the US for the Bush administration being held to account for its misdeeds, including possible impeachment proceedings. This is no time for Canada to become complicit in human rights violations.
At the bottom of Pandora’s jar was Hope-the one item that did not escape. We can hope there will a time soon when equilibrium, a renewed respect for the rule of law, and greater decency will return.
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Robert Billyard is a writer and artist residing in the bucolic hinterlands of Langley BC. He has an abiding interest in politics and social issues and reads extensively on these subjects. Accused of being a nationalist, a small
“l” liberal, a socialist and a boat rocker-as well as a boat builder- he might nod in agreement.
@ December 24, 2005