Gonzales, Leahy and Arar

It was a highlight of the Senate Judiciary Hearings on detainee policies last week. Senator Leahy rightly dragged the legal lickspittle Gonzales over the coals. The rage in Leahy's voice is completely justified: the idea that the U.S. sent a terror suspect to Syria for interrogation, and didn't expect him to be tortured, is preposterous. Gonzales, Bush and Ashcroft were comfortable with that because they are comfortable with torture. There's not a freedom Gonzales wouldn't undermine, not a right he wouldn't qualify, if his political patrons asked him to. Listen to the section of the hearings related to the rendition of Canadian Maher Arar, a man tortured by a vile regime at the behest of the United States. Listen and get angry again. Anger is necessary. Extreme anger is necessary. Don't get numb. Get mad.