WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice chastised Europe leaders today, saying that before they complain about secret jails for terror suspects in European nations, they should realize that interrogations of these suspects have produced information that helped “save European lives.”
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Ms. Rice insisted that the United States had done nothing wrong.
Many of the imprisoned suspects “are effectively stateless,” she maintained, “owing allegiance only to the extremist cause of transnational terrorism. Many are extremely dangerous.”
“effectively stateless”. That’s a new one for me; I’ll have to remember it.
before they complain about secret jails for terror suspects in European nations, they should realize that interrogations of these suspects have produced information that helped “save European lives.”
I thought the secret prisons did not exist and if not, how can the Europeans complain? Also, since it is our stated policy to not torture, what could anyone possibly complain about?
Surely she is not suggesting that Europeans will complain if we have prisons that are on the up and up and where no abuse is occurrring, right?
It almost sounds to me that she is preparing an argument against something that does not occur. Strange.
Ain’t she the coy one? We’ve stopped *lots *of attacks on Europe by “not” torturing terrorists. She’d love to tell us all about it, but really, that’s up to the Europeans to tell us. We wouldn’t want to compromise them, or anything.
Many of the imprisoned suspects “are effectively stateless,” she maintained, “owing allegiance only to the extremist cause of transnational terrorism. Many are extremely dangerous.”
Just re-read this one: “extremist cause of transnational terrorism”. Since when is terrorism (or transnational terrorism, whatever that is) a cause? Is terrorism the purpose of al Qaeda? I thought the current view is that terrorism is a means that these groups use to further their purported goals. Rice makes it seem like these groups are just hooligans out for trouble.
The answer to that question is yes.
On what do you base that? They exist only to commit acts of terrorism? If so, then as long as they have members, the “War on Terrorism” will never end, no matter what we do?
I base it upon their behavior. Their behavior is to put all their energy into commiting acts of terror. Not much of a stretch to conclude they do that because that is what they want to do. That, and raise money so that they can continue to commit acts of terror.
Not much of a stretch to conclude they do that because that is what they want to do.
Art, that’s ridiculous. Terrorism is a means to an end, not an end in itself. The means of terrorism is deplorable, and the ends of those who use it might be equally deplorable, but let’s not idiotically deceive ourselves that AQ engages in terror just because they enjoy blowing themselves and others up.
Sorry, not seeing that. So called reasons are just excuses.
We have more history with Palestinian terrorism, so examples are plentiful there. Over a 10 year period, Arafat received tens of billions of dollars to help his people. He built not a single school, hospital or road.
What he did build was was about a dozen different militias. If you want to argue to argue he was striving for the welfare of his people, well, go for it.
Trying to remember all the schools, hospitals and roads AQ built. Drawing a blank on that one.
Do you actually think if the US left Europe and Asia, nuked Israel and NYC for good measure, that AQ would like us? Good for you if you do.
Yes, the al-Zarqawis (sp?) of the world enjoying blowing other people up. That is why they do it. All the propaganda is just a rationalization.
On what do you base that? They exist only to commit acts of terrorism? If so, then as long as they have members, the “War on Terrorism” will never end, no matter what we do?
What are you suggesting? That we should just not fight them? Murder is not right, we don’t solve all murders, and rarely stop one, should we give up on murder?
BTW - Why are you cutting from the full article, why don’t you post the whole thing?
On what do you base that? They exist only to commit acts of terrorism? If so, then as long as they have members, the “War on Terrorism” will never end, no matter what we do?
What are you suggesting? That we should just not fight them? Murder is not right, we don’t solve all murders, and rarely stop one, should we give up on murder?
BTW - Why are you cutting from the full article, why don’t you post the whole thing?
I’m not going to even bother responding to your first paragraph.
As to the why?, because those were the portions that were relevant to the issue on which I made the post.
“let’s not idiotically deceive ourselves that AQ engages in terror just because they enjoy blowing themselves and others up.”
I dunno, Vitus. Sometimes I honestly wonder if there is a sizeable minority on both sides in any violent conflict that* live for the conflict* and do not care so much about what they are fighting for or the outcome. Seriously.
**I thought the secret prisons did not exist and if not, how can the Europeans complain? **
The last I heard the US wasn’t commenting on the existence of the “secret prisons”. The countries that supposedly have them are the ones that denied their existence.
Note: The above does not read that I am in favor of the secret prisons and the “torturing” of these “terrorists”.