Straw of Rendition

Independent Online Edition > UK Politics

Forgetting for a moment the fires and Arnie's re-invention of his role as "terminator", this link to today's Independent tells us the UK foriegn secretary Jack Straw did indeed approve a couple of "rendition" flights by the CIA here in Britain. It seems like a minor confession designed to distract attention from the current issue. The flights in question were approved back when Staw was home secretary, well before 9/11 and the subsequent so-called "war on terrorism". Well before the advent of the Bush imperial initiative - full stop!

As the article points out, this revelation may indeed raise additional questions. If we accept that requests were made and granted in the past, surely the complete absence of any such official requests by the Bush regime in the newer climate is suspicious in itself. It suggests the arrogance of the ape emperor is such that he would not have bothered to ask permission anyway - probably in the full knowledge that the intent would be criminal. Not that I believe for one minute that our government, via British intelligence services, would not have been entirely aware of such activities. Simply off the record - of course!

Sad news is that Bush's popularity ratings have increased again slightly. Probably because he's shut up for a while and hunkered down for the holidays. Whilst her European tour may have shocked Condi Rice into a re-assessment of the Amerikan position, there is no indication whether her reservations have registered in the dubious "brain" of Dubya.

Later.