Straight To The Point

Here's one account of rendition in The Times Online.

You have to be so careful when listening to what leaders say, especially when talking about rendition and torture. Here's a few choice quotes from this article in the Washington Post, where her remarks, on the face of it, seem to imply that all is well with the world:-

Ms. Rice insisted that the U.S. government "does not authorize or condone torture" of detainees. What she didn't say is that President Bush's political appointees have redefined the term "torture" so that it does not cover practices, such as simulated drowning, mock execution and "cold cells," that have long been considered abusive by authorities such as her State Department.

Ms. Rice said, "It is also U.S. policy that authorized interrogation will be consistent with U.S. obligations under the Convention Against Torture, which prohibit cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment." What she didn't explain is that, under this administration's eccentric definition of "U.S. obligations," cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment is not prohibited as long as it does not occur on U.S. territory.

It's a good job Germany didn't win the war, or what kind of world would be living in?