Late Thoughts

For this one I'm going to have to dip into the recent past and something I've been thinking about for a while. First, George W Bush labeled it part of the Axis of Evil (albeit initiates but on the rise). Then his government deported Canadian Maher Arar there upon seizing him on American soil. It's Syria of course and there seems to be a clear disconnect between Washington's usually strong verbal attacks on, if not threats, to Syria and Syria's willingness to torture on behalf of the Americans. Even today the Americans warned that evil Syria had designs to overthrow the Lebanese government and made veiled threats. What gives?

If Syria really is an enemy of the US then why would they act as a sub-imperial power and torture Maher Arar on command from Washington? Syria isn't like Uzbekistan or Egypt, evil states surely but on the right side so above reproach; Syria is on Washington's hit list. Surely once Maher Arar was in Syria they could have hailed him as an enemy of Washington and let him go. Instead they went about pulling out his nails and electrocuting his genitals (I'm sure Dick approved heartily). Maybe the Syrian state just loves torture that much that they'll even torture the enemies of enemies. But isn't the enemy of your enemy your friend?

Makes you wonder if the whole thing is just one big load of . . .