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This week, the Canadian Government issued a report criticizing the US and Canada for detaining, imprisoning and torturing Mahr Arar, a Canadian citizen. Mr. Arar was picked up by the CIA at Kennedy Airport in 2002 on the belief that he had ties to Al Queda. He was then sent to Jordan and Syria under the US' plan of extraordinary rendition. There he was interrogated and tortured for ten months before being released after the US determined he had no ties to terrorist organizations. The Canadian report concludes that there was never any reason to believe that Mr. Arar -- an engineer from Ottawa-- posed a threat to either Canada or the U.S. This morning, the State Department issued a personal appeal to Mr. Arar:

Dear Mr. Arar,

We are sorry that you were beaten with a metal cable (ouch!!) over a period of ten months while you were asked questions you could not answer. (Our President knows about that last part!) But you know, at the time we were really scared and you know how we love our perceived safety and security.

We are also sorry that we did not inform the Canadian government that we sent you to Syria or that we did not allow you access to the Candian consulate when you were apprehended. (Our bad. But we suspected they may have some messy objections and the whole point of having secret prisons is that they are .. secret). It is unfortunate that we were unable to honor your request to be treated with the dignity accorded human beings. (We can understand how you were misled by all that "culture of life" stuff, but that was not aimed at you.) Please except these complimentary Starbucks gift cards with best wishes for your recovery. I am sure that you will enjoy a good cuppa while not being forced to sit naked in your own filth.

Very Truly Yours,

Simon F. Flogger
(Undersecretary for "Special Procedures" that Violate the Geneva Convention)

PS. The recurrent nightmares will ... well may .. go away with time.