Four years after the Council of Europe announced its parliamentary inquiry into the US-CIA's kidnapping & torture program and the member states' complicity in it, and three years after Mr. Marty published his report
Lithuania is launching an inquiry into allegations that it hosted a secret CIA prison for al-Qaeda suspects.
Strasbourg, 21.08.2009 – Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE), the rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on secret detentions, made the following statement today:
“With yesterday’s report that Lithuania hosted a secret CIA prison, as well as other recent revelations regarding the ‘black sites’ in Poland and Romania, the time has now come for Europe to account in full for its involvement in this shameful episode.
I have always believed that the ‘dynamic of truth’ would prevail in the face of state secrecy. But European credibility is damaged by these repeated leaks of only partial truths every few weeks or months. Let us draw a line under this, once and for all, and come clean.
My own sources seem to confirm yesterday’s news report that US ‘high-value detainees’ were held in Lithuania. The authorities should now carry out a full, independent and credible investigation. Furthermore, an unjustified use of the ‘state secrets’ doctrine should not act as a barrier to full disclosure of what occurred on the outskirts of Vilnius.
Denial and evasion are no longer credible: European countries must come clean.”
Indeed. It's no good to wag finger and preach human rights when one's own house is no cleaner. Hypocrites have zero credibility.
__________________ One achieves little honour if one invades another country, which has done us no harm, with force and injustice, if one rapes and burns, kills and pillages those who only wished to live in peace. It would do us greater honour if our forefathers had always been peaceful and meek, if they had been content with all the things God had given them, instead of robbing and raping others. -- Olaus Petri
I am resolving now never to hold rancor, however justified it might be, toward a group of people, whatever their race, religion, conviction, prejudices, errors. -- Irène Némirovsky
Cannons and fire-arms are cruel and damnable machines; I believe them to have been the direct suggestion of the Devil. If Adam had seen in a vision the horrible instruments his children were to invent, he would have died of grief. -- Martin Luther
Four years after the Council of Europe announced its parliamentary inquiry into the US-CIA's kidnapping & torture program and the member states' complicity in it, and three years after Mr. Marty published his report
Indeed. It's no good to wag finger and preach human rights when one's own house is no cleaner. Hypocrites have zero credibility.
I'd love to see a Europe with more integrity, I just don't know how you turn it round, I look at the media in this country and imagine what they would say if any politician suggested putting anything other than British self interest at the heart of our foreign policy. There is an acceptance which runs from the Prime minister all the way down to a large portion of the electorate that you we look out for ourselves first and anyone who is hurt by us, well it is their bad luck. It is so deeply ingrained in our country, and most other countries, and it is this attitude which leads to either acceptance of disgracefull practices or a refusal to acknowledge their existence.
It will take more than a few investigations. It will take a root and branch change of culture, and a for huge numbers of people to decide that profit, influence and power are not more important than integrity. I'd like to see it happen, but even voicing that desire opens one up to mockery.
Another thought which has just struck me is that it would also require paying off huge debts. Countries which rely on extensive borrowing are not truly independent when it comes decision making. The creditors always have a way of bringing pressure to bear.
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My Boy!
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Last edited by ScottishJohn; 29th August 2009 at 11:54 AM.
"The West is waiting for answers from us and will look at us with suspicion as long as Lithuania cannot clear away the shadows which hang above Lithuania or, if it is confirmed, to take responsibility and to apologize to the international community for human rights (abuses)," Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said Tuesday.
She also said a request had been sent to the United States for cooperation in a probe. The US-run kidnap & torture program was part of the former US President George W. Bush's efforts to undermine wolrdwide human rights.
Grybauskaite underscored that, and said it was not just up to Vilnius to refute the claims.
"Both Lithuania and the United States should give answers to these questions," she said.
My, my. A tiny former Soviet colony leads the way and advices the United States of America how to make right and take responsibility of one's past wrongful actions.
Tsk, tsk.
for Ms. Grybauskaite for being the one with the real balls.
__________________ One achieves little honour if one invades another country, which has done us no harm, with force and injustice, if one rapes and burns, kills and pillages those who only wished to live in peace. It would do us greater honour if our forefathers had always been peaceful and meek, if they had been content with all the things God had given them, instead of robbing and raping others. -- Olaus Petri
I am resolving now never to hold rancor, however justified it might be, toward a group of people, whatever their race, religion, conviction, prejudices, errors. -- Irène Némirovsky
Cannons and fire-arms are cruel and damnable machines; I believe them to have been the direct suggestion of the Devil. If Adam had seen in a vision the horrible instruments his children were to invent, he would have died of grief. -- Martin Luther
for Ms. Grybauskaite for being the one with the real balls. 
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