Torturing Canadians

Character is much easier kept than recovered.
-Thomas Paine

Good ol’ Thomas Paine is always ready with a good quote, and this one comes to mind when considering the recent bruha-ha over Canada’s manual for diplomats-in-training –
What do Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Syria have in common with the USA?

Torture, baby.

I know from my jury experience, when I helped decide the fate of a man who cut-up and killed his father with a dull kitchen knife (and I’m going easy on the details), defining torture isn’t always easy or as it would seem. I have no doubt that what Jan did to his dad was indeed tortuous, but not legally torture. So the jury acquitted him of the charge of torture, opting instead for murder. It’s about intent. Jan intended to kill his father, not torture him.

It may be apples and oranges, comparing penal law with international law.   But what if actions do, in fact, satisfy the legal definition – and intent – for torture? Dick and George may commit their own personal torture on the language in their attempts to justify those actions and nullify the law, but they cannot change the essence of what it means to torture someone.

On the other hand, does the US really belong on the same list with all those other countries so well known for their skill in torture? Say, for instance, the same countries to which send “detainees” in a process mysteriously called extraordinary rendition?

Well, there is that. At least one poor guy was innocent – and Canadian.

So after we’re done being indignant and outraged, it might be a good idea to check the arrogance and reflect a bit on what, if any, our own actions have in the situation we now find ourselves…

And then I woke up: Dick Cheney and George Bush were still president and Canada said it was sorry.