Big Sticks and Small Carrots

Or willful ignorance?

Who remembers when concerns about UK involvement in “rendition” were ridiculed as conspiracy theories? Let’s have a quick trip down memory name courtesy of Obsolete to remind ourselves of the way these denials were formulated.

Here’s an extract from a leaked briefing document written by a Foreign Office official at Downing Street’s request.

The Home Office, who lead, are urgently examining our files, as are we. But we now cannot say that we have received no such requests for the use of UK territory or air space for “Extraordinary Rendition”. It does remain true that “we are not aware of the use of UK territory or air space for the purpose of “Extraordinary Rendition”". But we think we should now try to move the debate on from the specifics of rendition, extraordinary or otherwise, and focus people instead on the Rice’s clear assurance that all US activities are consistent with their domestic and international obligations and never include the use of torture.

Phrases like “we are not aware of…” were commonly included in the government’s semi-denials. The memo also recommends that “we should try to avoid getting drawn on detail… and to try to move the debate on, in as front foot a way we can, underlining all the time the strong anti-terrorist rationale for close cooperation with the US, within our legal obligations.” Again, this diversionary tactic was repeatedly deployed by the government.

Further trips down memory lane available from Blairwatch and The Guardian.

Good faith? Its not even funny.

The European Parliament has approved a report condemning a number of European countries for their involvement in and/or silent acquiescence of extraordinary rendition.

It is only a matter of time before the PMOS utters those immortal words yet again. Move along now, nothing to see here…

And, disgracefully, they’ll probably get away with it too.

There’s a clue as to why Blair will probably get away with it here.

A further clue is to be found in the contribution to today’s debate made by Conservative MEP Charles Tannock:

I was opposed from the very start to the Temporary Committee. It has proven to be an expensive exercise. We do not have any figures but I estimate the cost to be over EUR 1 million. It has duplicated Senator Marty’s efforts in the Council of Europe and has produced nothing substantially new which was not already in the public domain. Regrettably the Left and Liberals cannot resist an opportunity to bash NATO and the United States which, in spite of making mistakes, remains a democracy which shares European common values and is our ally in the fight against global terrorism.

The Fava report is heavy on allegations and accusations, but light on conclusive proof. Inevitably some mistakes and excesses may have occurred but in my opinion there was no systematic US policy for extraordinary renditions to illegally torture abductees in third countries or any proof of the existence of CIA detention camps in Romania or Poland.

Take out the gratuitous leftie bashing (or maybe not) and you could easily imagine that the above was the work of a mindless Blairite drone.

That doesn’t excuse Blair’s behaviour in any way, of course. What it does highlight is the way that Blair’s refusal to address the whole issue of extraordinary rendition has been greatly aided not just by the silence of a large part of the Labour Party but also by a similar silence on the part of the Conservatives (a few backbenchers aside). With Cameron now looking to appeal to voters with his rebranded “liberal compassionate conservatism”, his silence on this issue is worth bearing in mind.