They Care About Us! They Do? Really!
Well, wow! Here's Canada being mentioned during congressional hearings into the Maher Arar case. Amazing that the U.S.; any American politicians for that matter, recognize the name Maher Arar, know anything about his sad case - but having done so, of course Canada would be mentioned for he is, after all, Canadian. All the more so, one supposes, since his release from incarceration and torture in Syria. One might hope, on an aside, that Mr. Arar has formally set aside his Syrian citizenship in favour now of holding single citizenship; solely Canadian.For if that had been the case initially, when he had been apprehended by U.S. immigration authorities en route through the States back to Canada from an overseas holiday abroad with his wife he would likely never have been sent to Syria. As an innocent man, though, why would he even suspect in his darkest dreams that his allegiance to his native country would some day land him in a medieval dungeon among foraging rats, to be subjected to daily torment, bouts of physical torture and complete mental disassociation from normalcy.
Of course, post 9/11, with all of its ghastly fears that the equilibrium of normal life would never return - sans the constant fear of terrorist acts committed against countries on high alert - it wasn't that far a stretch of the imagination to see potential threats in every young Arab male whose activities might arouse the dread of having a bomber in our midst. So it was that an over-charged CSIS and RCMP, inexperienced in this new type of threat to the well being of Canada, tentatively identified Mr. Arar by innocent association, with terrorism.
And conveyed their impression, erroneous though it turned out to be, to their counterparts in the United States. Maher Arar was placed on a shared list of possible terrorist agents, friendly to and available for al-Qaeda-inspired carnage, and that was that. Of course, Mr. Arar's good name has since been restored. Slight comfort to a man whose purpose and trust in life has been destroyed. From a happy and good-natured family man whose career was opening toward the heights of personal achievement to a bitter and unforgiving victim.
Mr. Arrar has been vindicated, his innocence affirmed by the Government of Canada and its representatives. He has received an apology from the (then) head of the RCMP, an informal acknowledgement of wrongs done against him by the government whom he is now suing. But the United States government still considers him a threat and an agent of al-Qaeda, and they aren't backing down, remaining steadfastly unapologetic about their decision to hand him over to torture-happy Syria.
"The Canadian government has apologized for its part in this debacle. Why is he on a [U.S.] government watch list if he's been found completely innocent by this Canadian commission?" demanded Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, of the U.S. Attorney-General, Alberto Gonzales. Wow, fireworks! And Canada, or at least the naming of Canada, however sniffily, is right up there on public display. Given that election manoueverings are in the offing, the American public is listening...
"We knew damn well if he went back to Canada he wouldn't be tortured. He would be held and he would be investigated," thundered Senator Leahy. "We also knew damn well if he went to Syria, he would be tortured. And it's beneath the dignity of this country, a country that has always been a beacon of human rights, to send somebody to another country to be tortured. It's a black mark on us. It has brought about the condemnation of some of our closest and best allies."
Well, give me a break with all this breast-beating and verbal celebrations of a just America. Under any administration, the Democrats and the Republicans, the United States has amply demonstrated that it has never been averse to plotting some pretty dodgy schemes, invasions and topplings of foreign heads whose agendas do not mesh neatly enough with their own. It's election time, and everyone is giddy with opportunism.
Still, it's nice to think from time to time that someone down there knows we're up here.
Labels: Canada-US Relations
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, January 20, 2007
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