A
sign on the grounds of the Polish Intelligence training center, where
a
secret CIA prison was located, and where - depending on your political
orientation
- where suspects who were 'renditioned' or 'kidnapped' were
'interrogated'
or 'tortured.'
On CIA Prisons, Poland Sold Out for 'Pathetically Little' (GazetaWyborcza, Poland)
"Why did our U.S. ally sucker punch us on this occasion?
... The Polish authorities simply made a piece of Polish territory available to
the United States, not knowing what it would be used for. ... For our loss of
virtue, or rather, our reputation as a state-defender of human rights and promoter
of the idea of freedom and solidarity, we reportedly received $15 million - a pathetically
small amount."
Former presidents Bush and Kwasniewski in 2005: In 2012, Kwasniewski admitted what he had long denied: that Polish territory and facilites were used by the CIA for 'extraordinary renditions' and detentions of people classified as 'enemy combatants.'
[Columnist]
Roman Imielski
defends the implied consent of Polish authorities on CIA prisons. Well, I
understand: the war on terrorism, the support of an ally, and joint operations
in Iraq. Also: patriotism, national security, and the defense of democratic
freedoms. But why did our U.S. ally sucker punch us on this occasion?
In
the case of CIA prisons on Polish territory, it was not an issue of agreeing or
disagreeing. I would be the first to justify the decisions the authorities took.
Such was the political situation at the time, such were the circumstances. All
indications are that the Polish authorities didn't even have a chance to make an
informed decision. They didn't know what they were agreeing to. In fact, there
is nothing to defend.
The
Polish authorities simply made a piece of Polish territory available to the
United States, not knowing what it would be used for. And our U.S. ally decided
to do something in Poland that could not be done in the United States, and would
not likely be permitted in other Western European countries.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
Nothing
discredits the government as much as helplessness. Sometimes, politicians have
to make difficult decisions - on the fringes of the law or outside of it. Then
they say, with a raised eyebrow, "I had to. The decisions were hard,
brutal and cruel - but necessary."
Rather,
the correct answer here should be: "Sorry, the Americans made fools of us."
Unfortunately, that severely limits a discussion in which the weapons are elaborate
words.
For
our loss of virtue, or rather, our reputation as a state-defender of human
rights and promoter of the idea of freedom and solidarity, we reportedly received
$15 million - a pathetically small amount.
