Canada Bows To US, Israel Pressure On Torture Warning

By Cernig

Remember the news the other day that the Canadian government had placed both the U.S. and Israel on an internal list for diplomats of nations that torture while speaking from the other side of its mouth publicly?

Well, they've now brought public and private claims into harmony - by removing both nations from the private document. (H/T Moderate Voice)

Canada’s foreign ministry, responding to pressure from close allies, said on Saturday it would remove the United States and Israel from a watch list of countries where prisoners risk being tortured.

Both nations expressed unhappiness after it emerged that they had been listed in a document that formed part of a training course manual on torture awareness given to Canadian diplomats.

Over at TMV, Jill Miller Zimon points out the glaringly obvious:

Of course, the factual questions still remain: what methods of interrogation are used and do they or don’t they constitute torture or abuse?

Well, let's put it this way - any other nation using the methods known to be used by the U.S. and Israel is also on the list and will stay on the list.

What a spineless move by Canada's conservative government.