Originally published January 2 2006
Secretary of State continues to defend U.S. anti-terrorism policies as she begins Europe trip
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Beginning a short trip to several European Countries, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned EU officials that their skeptical approach to U.S. anti-terrorism methods could weaken their own defenses against terrorist aggression.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, facing a potential new rift in trans-Atlantic relations, warned European leaders Monday that objections to the U.S. treatment of terror suspects overseas could damage efforts to protect their own citizens from terror attacks.
Rice embarked on a trip to Europe amid a monthlong furor over alleged secret CIA prisons there and widening suspicions by European leaders and citizens alike that U.S. agencies have adopted brutal tactics in dealing with terrorism suspects.
She declared that the United States does not torture prisoners or hand them over to regimes that do, but refused to confirm or deny that the U.S. government maintains secret prisons --- called "black sites" by critics --- around the world to detain terrorism suspects, a chief concern of many of the Europeans.
Rice also provided a staunch defense of the U.S. practice of "rendition" --- grabbing suspects off the streets of another country outside of local law.
It was the most detailed U.S. response to date to growing world concern and anger over American treatment of detainees that has been fueled by atrocities at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, questions about the U.S. prison at Guant�namo Bay and allegations of abuses elsewhere.
Rice's forceful response and her warning to increasingly skeptical allies came at the start of a five-day trip in which she is likely to be questioned repeatedly by European officials about reports that the CIA has been flying terror suspects to eight alleged secret prison sites for questioning.
Diplomatically, both U.S. officials and their European allies are eager to avoid another collision like the one that grew from bitter differences over the 2003 Iraq invasion.
But it was unclear whether the Bush administration will be willing to share information the Europeans are seeking on highly sensitive intelligence issues, even in private meetings in coming days.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml