This story from the BBC today about a US secret jail in Afghanistan reminded me of a similar story from April of 2007, which was reported by the late Anthony Mitchel, about secret jails in Ethiopia visited by CIA agents.
I was wondering if any of those jails are still operational and, if so, whether or not the CIA is still engaged in a similar scheme with the Ethiopian government. To be clear, I am strongly in favor of the CIA or any other US intelligence agency using all legal means at its disposal in the hunt for terrorists while, at the same time, I am also strongly against any branch of the US government coddling up with dictators anywhere in the world who terrorize their population, just like what the Ethiopian government does everyday.
In the context of the upcoming "election" in Ethiopia, it will be interesting to watch how the US government will react to an "election" that it knows is taking place in an atmosphere of intimidation and a severely restricted political space for the opposition.
Will the US turn a blind eye, once again, to the aspirations of Ethiopians to freely elect their leaders in exchange for the opportunity to interview a few third-rate terrorist wannabes? If it does, then Ethiopians' view of the role of the US government in their country's affairs will fundamentally change for the worse. This, in my humble opinion, will neither serve the interests of the US nor that of Ethiopia.
2 comments:
"To be clear, I am strongly in favor of the CIA or any other US intelligence agency using all legal means at its disposal in the hunt for terrorists while, at the same time, I am also strongly against any branch of the US government coddling up with dictators anywhere in the world who terrorize their population"
strange disclaimer...if you are against secret prisons, say it loud.What are these 'legal means' you are talking about? torture,guantanamo, abou graib?
You may disagree with what I wrote, but a disclaimer it is not. Yes, I am opposed to secret prisons, not only in Ethiopia but anywhere else.
My reference to "legal means" is about complying with the US Constitution and other international conventions to which the US is a signatory country, such as the Geneva Conventions.
Regarding Guantanamo prison, I do support its continued use as a place for detaining terrorists or enemy combatants who do not fight a war on behalf of a nation-state such as the Al-Qaeda types.
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