Maher Arar (Again)

by Brian on January 14, 2004

I’m not sure if anyone reads updates at the bottom of the page, so I thought I’d link to Katherine’s three latest posts on Maher Arar (seven eight nine). Three quick points about these.

  1. The circumstantial evidence is starting to mount that Arar really was tortured, and really is innocent of all charges. Katherine found a quote from a US official admitting that Arar was tortured, something the US has later denied. (Though the denials are based solely on the say-so of the Syrian government.) Arar on the other hand has told a consistent story from day one.
  2. Any newspaper or newsmagazine editor out there who wants a serious investigative report on on this could do much worse than getting in touch with Katherine. She really is all over this story, and if she had a chance to interview the principals I’m sure she could produce a remarkable story.
  3. I apologise for my snarkiness towards right-wing bloggers in my original post on this. All the commentary I’ve seen from across the spectrum has been quite properly condemning the US’s handling of this. I’m sure the overwhelming majority of conservatives are not pro-torturing innocents. I just wish that group had slightly more influence in the Attorney-General’s Office when Arar’s case came up.

{ 6 comments }

1

Katherine 01.14.04 at 7:00 pm

Thanks so much. (blushing)

As far as right wing response–I’ve had no problem with most conservative responses I’ve seen (one National Review piece is an exception). But most right wing bloggers haven’t touched the story, as far as I can tell from googling the main sites. That may be because they don’t want to dwell on something that makes the administration look bad, but it may well be because they’ve never heard of it.

Anyway, you don’t have to think that Bush should be impeached (I don’t) or that not re-elected or that Ashcroft should step down (I do, but I’ve thought that since 2000), to object to this story. You only have to think that we shouldn’t send people to be tortured by the horrible governments we’re opposing; and that we should find out what happened and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

2

andrew 01.14.04 at 10:08 pm

I’m kind of a news junkie, but this was the first time I read the details of Arar’s detention. I would just like to say, “holy crap”

I’d bet that this kind of thing isn’t that rare, but that most victims are not Westerners, or not completely innocent (so therefore deal away their right to complain) or do not survive to tell the story.

3

Anne 01.14.04 at 10:44 pm

My thought is that if they’ve given the process of outsourcing their torture work a slick euphemism, that’s because it’s a subject they need to discuss frequently, and that’s because it’s a policy they implement frequently.

(How often is “frequently”? I don’t know, but in a case like this one, “one time” constitutes a hundred percent too often.)

4

Moe Lane 01.15.04 at 3:41 am

“But most right wing bloggers haven’t touched the story, as far as I can tell from googling the main sites.”

In my case, it’s because my coblogger -owns- this particular story backwards and forwards, leaving nothing for the rest of us to do… oh, hi, Katherine. :)

5

Jolyon 01.15.04 at 11:28 am

Andrew,
“I’d bet that this kind of thing isn’t that rare, but that most victims are not Westerners, or not completely innocent (so therefore deal away their right to complain)”.

Did I misunderstand? ‘If victim not=innocent[more/less], then torture=acceptable [more/less]’?

6

Mr Ripley 01.15.04 at 12:22 pm

Naw –I think he means it won’t play well in Peoria if the gov’t can point to guilt of some sort on the victim’s part. I’ve heard many people say “Sure, Mumia had a rotten trial, but why worry about it? He’s probably guilty anyway.” The idea that civil liberties have gotta be for everybody if they’re for anybody has become hard to sell in these times.

Some rightniks seem now to be pushing the claim, disavowed by the Canadians, that Canada too was after Arar and just asked the U.S. gov’t for a friendly hand.

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