Chilling Tale of Green Light to Torture

The case of a Syrian-born Canadian, Maher Arar, tortured as part of the USA's policy of "extraordinary rendition" has attracted some notorierty given that he was eventually released without any charges being laid against him - and then suing the US Government.

An editorial in the New York Times takes to task not only what happened to Arar but the decision of a judge to throw out the case because it wasn't appropriate to challenge American foreign policy.

As the editorial proclaims, the decision needs to be overturned - quickly.

That aside the editorial makes for chilling reading when one reflects on not only what happened to Arar but when Governments ride rough-shod over the rights of people and Courts are not prepared to stand as a bulwark against such abuses.

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Mahler's Prodigal Son

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