Later She Was Seen Perusing the 'Sorry About the Torture' Section of the Hallmark Store

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has acknowledged that the U.S. government made a mistake in 2002 when it deported Canadian software engineer Maher Arar to Syria, the country of his birth, where he was imprisoned as a suspected terrorist for a year and tortured. Arar was arrested during a stopover in New York based on what turned out to be erroneous information from the Canadian government, which has since exonerated him, apologized, and paid him $11 million in compensation and legal fees. Rice, for her part, did not exactly apologize, telling the House Foreign Affairs Committee:

We do not think that this case was handled as it should have been. We do absolutely not wish to transfer anyone to any place in which they might be tortured....We have told the Canadian government that we did not think this was handled particularly well in terms of our own relationship and that we will try to do better in the future.

But Rice also indicated that the U.S. government is not prepared to meet the Canadian government's request that Arar be removed from a list that bars him from entering the United States. "I think we and the Canadians do not have exactly the same understanding of what is possible in the future with Mr. Arar in terms of travel and the like," she said.

My 2006 column about the Canadian report that exonerated Arar is here. 

Comments

Warren | October 25, 2007, 2:43pm | #

What is up with Condi? She baffles me more everyday. Isn't she this unparalleled multi-talented genius? Why is she so willing to whore for this administration? I'd say Cheney must have something on her, but what could be more embarrassing than the shit that comes out her mouth every other day? Seriously, I think it would be easier for her to live with a video of her blowing David Duke than her public pronouncements since becoming SoS.

Her predecessor was in the exact same position. I don't have any idea what to make of this pattern.

Frank Booth | October 25, 2007, 2:51pm | #

German schiezer video?

de stijl | October 25, 2007, 2:58pm | #

Do Hallmark stores have a self-help book section? Maybe she should pick up a copy of Codependent No More.

Bernd | October 25, 2007, 3:00pm | #

Frank: It's Scheisse. Get your coprophilia right.

Your Good Buddy Johnny Clarke | October 25, 2007, 3:01pm | #

Ah yes, I believe "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear" springs to mind.

And, of course, being the "good guys", we always apologize and make amends once we realize we've made a mistake, right?

PintofStout | October 25, 2007, 3:08pm | #

Best Title of the Week!

Ryo | October 25, 2007, 3:10pm | #

I can understand not allowing Arar to come in. If I'd whipped a guy with shredded cables on a regular basis for no reason, I'd be a little wary of letting him into my house.

Rimfax | October 25, 2007, 3:13pm | #

"...we...do not have exactly the same understanding of what is possible...in terms of travel...."

What the fuck is she thinking? What part of "erroneous information" is she not getting? Isn't this taking guilt-by-suspicion to new depths?

To think that I actually had lots of respect for her once upon a time. Maybe Warren's right and there's some kinda brain taint on everyone from this administration.

ed | October 25, 2007, 3:14pm | #

What is up with Condi?

She believes what she says. That's either very good or very bad,
depending on your political persuasion.

james | October 25, 2007, 3:19pm | #

Condi and George are boning that is the only thing I can think of. Remember when at a press conference she called him her husband

TrickyVic | October 25, 2007, 3:20pm | #

I wouldn't bet on that ed.

She's a master deceiver. I saw a couple of old clips from her testimony at the 911 hearings. She was pretending to look amazed and in disbelief that she was being asked such a question anytime she was asked a tough question.

Mike Laursen | October 25, 2007, 3:28pm | #

What is up with Condi?

Two theories backed up by nothing more than reading her wikipedia article:

1) She's still trying to impress her father. The Reverend went Republican, so Rice is trying to be Super-Republican.

2) She's on drugs. Apparently, she claims to be a huge fan of Led Zeppelin and Cream.

ed | October 25, 2007, 3:31pm | #

Another explanation may be that she spent much of her life studying how to defeat the Russians and got screwed out of that, and is now woefully unprepared to deal with these pesky jihadists but is trying to make the best of it while realizing she's in over her head. And she worships "W" and cannot allow herself for one moment to believe that they've fucked up big time, and if only she presses on...but really, I have no idea.

Les | October 25, 2007, 3:33pm | #

She believes what she says. That's either very good or very bad, depending on your political persuasion.

No, I think it's just plain bad and I don't think it has anything to do with your political persuasion.

When you inform the American people that Iraq's aluminum tubes could only be used for uranium enrichment (mushroom clouds), when you've already received reports from the top nuclear experts in the DOE that they couldn't be used for that purpose, that's just a big, fat lie. Unless, of course, she's mentally ill.

When she reports that three fourths of Al-Quaeda leadership has been killed or imprisoned, but doesn't know how many leaders there were or are to begin with, that's just a big, fat lie. Unless, of course, she's mentally ill.

I would think that lying to encourage support for war would be considered wrong regardless of whether you're a republican or a democrat or (as in my case) neither. I suppose it depends on how much of a party loyalist one is.

Yogi | October 25, 2007, 3:38pm | #

This is their version of "We're sorry we got caught."

Warren | October 25, 2007, 3:56pm | #

But what is she getting out of it? I mean, I assume most SoSs take to job to improve their resumes. After public service they can bathe in gravy working on K street. But I don't see how Condi ever lives down "I was W's whore. I could suck a golfball through two feet of garden hose, took it up the ass for the administration, and submitted to Congressional bukkake."

ChrisO | October 25, 2007, 4:00pm | #

I don't read this as anything more than bureaucrat-speak. Running the State Department and being National Security Director are two very different things. As the latter, she was free to speak in a much more open way, but as Sec. of State, she's got to, in effect, stick up for her troops and toe the various party lines at the same time.

Frankly, she looks desperately unhappy and ready to go back to academia.

Les | October 25, 2007, 4:00pm | #

"I was W's whore. I could suck a golfball through two feet of garden hose, took it up the ass for the administration, and submitted to Congressional bukkake."

Now available in Blu-Ray and HD-DVD!

R C Dean | October 25, 2007, 4:14pm | #

I don't see how Condi ever lives down "I was W's whore. I could suck a golfball through two feet of garden hose, took it up the ass for the administration, and submitted to Congressional bukkake."

After Sandy "Pants" Berger, I would say that working in Washington means never having to say you're sorry.

Your Good Buddy Johnny Clarke | October 25, 2007, 4:17pm | #

You know, I've reached a point where I wouldn't even buy that DVD, and I have absolutely nothing against pr0n. I just want them to finish their term and get out.

Dave B. | October 25, 2007, 4:18pm | #

The last time he entered America, he was sent to Syria for a year of torture. Why would he want permission to enter again? Maybe the US is keeping him out because it can't help but torture him again given the chance.

bill | October 25, 2007, 4:21pm | #

The Terror Watch List is up to 750,000 names. They probably can't find his name to remove it.

LibertyPlease | October 25, 2007, 4:30pm | #

The Terror Watch List is up to 750,000 names. They probably can't find his name to remove it.

What's the over/under on when the list of H&R posters gets added?

TrickyVic | October 25, 2007, 4:45pm | #

I wanted to shed light on the subject, but 20th Century Fox made youtube take the video down.

You Family Guy fans know what I'm talking about.

TrickyVic | October 25, 2007, 4:48pm | #

""The Terror Watch List is up to 750,000 names. They probably can't find his name to remove it."""

Every citizen on that list should legally change their name to their favorite, or unfavorite, Senator or government official.

Douglas Gray | October 25, 2007, 4:51pm | #

"I think we and the Canadians......." I think the Canadians still have at least some semblance of belief in due process, fairness, justice, and recompense for damages. In short, they have a deeper belief in the Bill of Rights than Condolezza Rice, who seems to have abandoned such principles altogether when it comes to the case of Mr. Arar.

I don't know who the "we" is that she claims to be speaking for....

Alice Bowie | October 25, 2007, 4:52pm | #

Warren,

Now that's some good bukkake

Shawn | October 25, 2007, 4:56pm | #

Why in the fuck would he want back in? Thank you sir, may I have another?

Scamper | October 25, 2007, 5:04pm | #

"Best Title of the Week!"

Which these days isn't saying much.

Remember "How much is that dodgy innuendo"?

technomist | October 25, 2007, 7:31pm | #

What is it with Condi?

She is the finest example of American Womanhood you can manage. I feel so sad for you all.

pinko | October 25, 2007, 7:32pm | #

"Why in the fuck would he want back in?"

I would say that the possibility of a very lucrative, high-profile speaking tour might be one good reason, and that the publicity surrounding such a speaking tour might be the chickenshit reason the thugs who sent him off to be tortured want to keep him out.

BakedPenguin | October 25, 2007, 7:57pm | #

She is the finest example of American Womanhood you can manage.

Right, unlike the lucky Brits with their finely mandibled women.

P Brooks | October 25, 2007, 11:44pm | #

"I think we and the Canadians do not have exactly the same understanding of what is possible in the future with Mr. Arar in terms of travel and the like," she said.

Our current Secretary of State is a gibbering imbecile.

ChrisL | October 26, 2007, 3:01am | #

Condo "my way or the Highway" Rice is nought but a hideous, nappy headed ho! (May she and the rest of this Administration burn in hell forever...) Geo W will be the first to be impeached after serving.

Cheers,
ChrisL

Dave Woycechowsky | October 26, 2007, 3:41am | #

She is worried about the ones and things we don't know about yet. Us sheeple.

Sean Healy | October 26, 2007, 4:59am | #

Wasn't Syria heading the UN rights commission at the time? The deportation should have been fine, so.

bromo98 | October 26, 2007, 9:49am | #

"Why in the fuck would he want back in?"

He wasn't actually travelling TO the US in the first place. To get to where you want to go, it's sometimes necessary to transfer through the US.

R C Dean | October 26, 2007, 10:30am | #

Good point, Sean. If you can't send someone to the head of the UN rights commission, where can you send them?

dello | October 26, 2007, 12:37pm | #

"But Rice also indicated that the U.S. government is not prepared to meet the Canadian government's request that Arar be removed from a list that bars him from entering the United States."

Well, he DID spend a year in Syria...maybe he's a terrorist...

Ron Hardin | October 26, 2007, 4:48pm | #

Greeting cards ought to be in the ``feminine needs'' aisle of supermarkets.

Guys just suck it up.

VikingMoose | October 26, 2007, 7:06pm | #

Aresen - if you follow Ron Hardin's posts, one of the "feminine needs" is to be as far away from him as possible, so anything he tells us about those aisles is just a guess.