Why aren't we talking about Maher Arar?

[SOGG]

Is it because it didn't make it to US news? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maher_Arar)

Added: Or did we ever talk about him?

[drwho]

Naah, it made the news here, too. The thing is I think he was wanting an apology because he was tortured in Syria from someone in the US. So he needs to have Syria apologize to him for them torturing him and the US didnt have a clue that something like that would happen when he was deported.

[Grazzt]

Naah, it made the news here, too. The thing is I think he was wanting an apology because he was tortured in Syria from someone in the US. So he needs to have Syria apologize to him for them torturing him and the US didnt have a clue that something like that would happen when he was deported.

:eek:

I'll simply assume you're being sarcastic.

And even if he wasn't tortured by the Syrians, I would assume he deserves an apology for being deported from a country which he wasn't a citizen AND despite having done absolutely nothing wrong.

[SOGG]

What's the deal with the RCMP? Did Arar get anything from them? Or anyone? I mean, someone took a year away from him, complete with torture.

I was hoping that Canada would at least try to do something for one of its citizens.

[Adam Crocker]

What's the deal with the RCMP?

Apparently the RCMP like to pass on false information about Canadian citizens (http://www.ararcommission.ca/eng/AR_English.pdf) being linked to terrorist organizations in a fashion that doesn't even comply with their established policies and with no provisions about how this information may be used. So yeah, who needs criminals when we have cops like this?

Did Arar get anything from them?

No.

Or anyone?

Apparently Stephen Harper won't offer an apology on behalf of the Canadian government. Granted it happened under the previous government, but considering that he's a Canadian citizen who was fucked over by his own government you think some gesture might be in order. Naaahh.

(Mind you I find it a little hypocritical that Liberal MPs are calling for Harper to apologize when this happened on their watch. (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1158790225825&call_pageid=968332188774&col=968350116467) Granted a few liberal backbenchers along with the NDP were actually advocating his case.

Did I say a little?)

He's not getting anything from the American government either. In fact his lawsuit against them was thrown out in early 2006 (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Render&c=Article&cid=1140130214126&call_pageid=968332188492) in order to protect relations between Canada and the U.S. and for national security...feh. As it would expose anything that's not already well known.

I was hoping that Canada would at least try to do something for one of its citizens.

Hahahahahaha! You a funny man!

Okay to be fair, former foreign affairs minister Bill Graham did try and get Arar released, but was foiled by his goddamn diplomats. And if anyone is doing anything on Harper government's end Stockwell Day is nudging Americans (http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=15d92ecb-de81-45c3-8d0a-8a47bda425d4&k=83439) to remove him from the no-fly list now that he has been cleared. Though there's something that seems paltry about this, could it be...

...which he hinted was a gentle suggestion rather than a demand...

Naaaahhhh.

[Adam Crocker]

Naah, it made the news here, too. The thing is I think he was wanting an apology because he was tortured in Syria from someone in the US. So he needs to have Syria apologize to him for them torturing him and the US didnt have a clue that something like that would happen when he was deported.

The U.S. sent him to Syria where he was then tortured.

And given Syria's track record, I highly doubt that the U.S. government had no idea that he would be tortured. Heck there's a few Guatanamo detainees, current and former, who were sent to places like Egypt and Morocco and were tortured.

[moebius]

There's already a case like this with the German citizen who was arrested in Macedonia.

I mean, how stupid and/or fasicst do people have to be to be okay with something like this? Why isn't this front page news and a daily issue at White House press conferences?

[Adam Crocker]

There's already a case like this with the German citizen who was arrested in Macedonia.

Yeah, Khaled el-Masri. I read about that case a lot myself.

I mean, how stupid and/or fasicst do people have to be to be okay with something like this?

Very. And you'd be surprised how many of them are out there.


Why isn't this front page news and a daily issue at White House press conferences?

I'm not sure. Damn liberal media trying to tear down America!

[SOGG]

<space snippage> Why isn't this front page news and a daily issue at White House press conferences?

Exactly. Everyone seems to be of the mind "well, it's not happening to ME."

Really troubling.

[SOGG]

That .pdf is amazing reading. I'm only on pg 20. I'd like to say though that at least there was a committee formed to investigate what happened. I was under the impression that absolutely nothing was being done.