Rice defends tactics of torturing detainees

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=6289573&cKey=1133790636000

Rice defends detainee tactics

By Saul Hudson

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Maryland (Reuters) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday defended U.S. treatment of terrorism suspects, telling European allies they should trust the United States as they cooperate in intelligence operations to prevent new attacks. snip

"It is up to those governments and their citizens to decide if they wish to work with us to prevent terrorist attacks against their own country or other countries and decide how much sensitive information they can make public. They have a sovereign right to make that choice," Rice said in a statement she read out before leaving for Berlin, her first stop.

The European Union has demanded Washington address claims of secret prisons to allay fears of illegal U.S. practices among the European public and parliaments, already critical of U.S. prisoner-abuse scandals in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Human rights groups say holding detainees incommunicado is illegal and often leads to torture.

[waiting for hope]

1. Whoopee!

The puppet dances......

[achtung_circus]

2. With us or against us. PUKE.

"It is up to those governments and their citizens to decide if they wish to work with us to prevent terrorist attacks against their own country or other countries.."

[katinmn]

3. Well, I hope those governments choose not to "trust" them

and it's not just "Human rights groups say holding detainees incommunicado is illegal and often leads to torture."

Either it's illegal, or it's not.

Do these other governments want to condone illegal kidnapping and torture?

[Canuckistanian]

4. And she's off!

A great beginning for the "Piss-Off-Europe Tour"!

[robbedvoter]

5. Was she wearing boots at the time? "OBL determined to strike in US"

I cannot hear her name without hearing in my mind the spiteful way she blurted the title of the August 6 memo they ignored to the 911 commission.

[deminks]

6. WP: Transcript of Condiliar's speech

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/05/AR2005120500462.html?nav=rss_world/europe

(snip)

We consider the captured members of Al Qaida and its affiliates to be unlawful combatants who may be held, in accordance with the law of war, to keep them from killing innocents. We must treat them in accordance with our laws, which reflect the values of the American people. We must question them to gather potentially significant, life-saving, intelligence. We must bring terrorists to justice wherever possible.

(snip)

For decades, the United States and other countries have used "renditions" to transport terrorist suspects from the country where they were captured to their home country or to other countries where they can be questioned, held, or brought to justice.

(snip)

The United States does not transport, and has not transported, detainees from one country to another for the purpose of interrogation using torture.

The United States does not use the airspace or the airports of any country for the purpose of transporting a detainee to a country where he or she will be tortured.

The United States has not transported anyone, and will not transport anyone, to a country when we believe he will be tortured. Where appropriate, the United States seeks assurances that transferred persons will not be tortured.

(snip)

International law allows a state to detain enemy combatants for the duration of hostilities. Detainees may only be held for an extended period if the intelligence or other evidence against them has been carefully evaluated and supports a determination that detention is lawful. The U.S. does not seek to hold anyone for a period beyond what is necessary to evaluate the intelligence or other evidence against them, prevent further acts of terrorism, or hold them for legal proceedings.

Carefully worded lies. "Rendition is a vital tool."