Rumors of Torture and "Black Ops" Prisons Hurt U.S. Abroad

Dick Marty, a Swiss Senator who is leading a probe into CIA counter-terrorism tactics in Europe has said he has information that the US intelligence agency has "abducted and transferred terrorism suspects in Europe 'without respect for any legal standards' ".

From a Washington Post article ("Investigator Sees Signs of CIA Role in Abductions"):

In a brief status report released Tuesday in Paris, Marty said he "deplores the fact that no information or explanations had been provided on this point by Ms. Rice during her visit to Europe" last week.

He said the only formal response he has received from U.S. officials was a copy of a Dec. 5 speech by Rice in which she defended U.S. policy and said Europe had benefited from the aggressive American approach to tracking down terrorism suspects around the world.

The U.S., apart from one speech from Secty. Of State Condaleeza Rice where she said The U.S. would not engage in torture, and President G.W. Bush's bald statement that the U.S> does not torture, is not being very convincing to the rest of the world, especially since the White House is not moving very quickly to endorse Sen. John McCain's anti-torture bill.

Meanwhile, in Europe,from the same WaPo article:

Rene van der Linden, president of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly, called on the U.S. Congress to pass a pending torture ban as a way to reassure its allies that the U.S. government would not resort to abusive measures when dealing with terrorist suspects.

"If these allegations remain unresolved, they risk damaging the image of the USA in Europe and thus transatlantic relations, at a time when global security requires a strong alliance amongst our countries," van der Linden said in a statement.

Now is only the Bush White House would figure out what most of Europe sees..