The information emerging this week in the US senate report on the use of torture by the CIA is horrifying and sickening. What we need to know now is, how much did Tony Blair’s Labour government know about the events described, and to what extent were they complicit?
While the actions of the CIA are a shameful indictment of the US regime under Bushes junior and senior, it is at least to the credit of the current US administration that the information has now emerged. The CIA’s attempts to justify their actions are as sickening as the original crimes. Torture is illegal, and if the CIA (and by extension, the government) consider themselves beyond the law, then the US is no longer a democracy. We can only hope that we might now see prosecutions of at least some of those responsible for these terrible crimes (although I’m not holding my breath).
It’s hard to imagine, however, that similar information might be published in this country, where The Establishment maintains an impenetrable veil of secrecy over such matters. David Cameron has issued nothing but platitudes on the matter; reminiscent of the original denials over allocations about “rendition for torture”.
These revelations should be a wake-up call to all voters and non-voters. Edmund Burke said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. Today, as good, ordinary people focus on “reality TV” and ignore what’s done in their name, that quote rings truer than ever.
Please sign Amnesty International’s petition for an investigation into the UK’s involvement in torture.