Craig Murray Attends the Formal Evidence Session on UK Complicity in Torture

April 28, 2009 5:57 AM

Craig Murray (Previously: 1 2) Attends the Formal Evidence Session on UK Complicity in Torture on Tuesday 28 April 1.45pm UK time. You can (hopefully) watch it on Parliament TV. If you want to have a good look at UK / US complicity in torture, this might be a good place to start... Please note he has said "There is absolutely no way I am going to kill myself. Just thought it might be wise to get that out in public!". Hopefully statements like that won't be necessary.
posted by debord (9 comments total)

Oh, hey, Craig Murray! I helped get him elected rector of Dundee University, he's awesome. Check out Murder in Samarkand for a very entertainingly written memoir of a snarky, philandering, boozing ambassador who uncovered US torture.
posted by By The Grace of God at 6:08 AM on April 28, 2009

I admire Craig Murray for taking a stand. He is ultimately up against this mendacious shit presently UK Secretary for"inJustice".
From the linked article: - "I asked my Deputy, Karen Moran, to call on a senior member of the US Embassy and tell him I was concerned that the CIA intelligence was probably derived from torture by the Uzbek security services. Karen Moran reported back to me that the US Embassy had replied that it probably did come from torture, but in the War on Terror they did not view that as a problem."....."Linda Duffield told me that Jack Straw had discussed this question with Sir Richard Dearlove and the policy was that, in the War on Terror, we should not question such intelligence".
posted by adamvasco at 6:25 AM on April 28, 2009

Oh Jack Straw, such an idealist in his youth, but quickly swayed by money and "power". It feels slightly as if British politicians are just horribly out of their depth doesn't it? Swayed by the money of the banks and the might and self-assurance of the Americans, happily leading the populace whom they allegedly serve down a merry path to ruin because, obviously, they know best and their incredible experience of life allows them to make the best decision for everybody.
posted by debord at 6:42 AM on April 28, 2009

watching the live stream. For a committee meeting it's absolutely riveting viewing.
posted by silence at 6:48 AM on April 28, 2009

For those interested in more on torture, check out this Salon translation of a Der Speigel article: New Evidence of a Secret Torture Prison.

What really amazes me is how amateur hour the whole thing was. You'd think they'd work hard to hide this. Sure sign of an agency under pressure to provide "results," security of the operation be damned.
posted by Ironmouth at 7:36 AM on April 28, 2009

It is a shame that Craig is not a particularly strong orator though the content makes up for that somewhat. Obviously he was curtailed quite a bit by the chairman and the MPs who occasionally stopped him when he was straying away from where they wanted him. Nothing too surprising in that though.

There was nothing particularly new in any of the allegations made, though it was a positive sign to see the reaction he got. Not sure that the change from Mrs T's policy of not using intelligence obtained via torture to todays position is that much of an about turn. The argument as to the worth of intelligence obtained that way is many moons old.

Craigs website and frequent posts about current happenings are a must read for anyone interested in international politics. His analysis of the Iranian vs Royal Navy fiasco back in 2007 was just one such standout piece for me. See 1,2,3.
posted by numberstation at 7:46 AM on April 28, 2009

You'd think they'd work hard to hide this.

There was no need. The Republicans were going to be in power forever.
posted by srboisvert at 10:07 AM on April 28, 2009

"There is absolutely no way I am going to kill myself. Just thought it might be wise to get that out in public!"

The way that Kelly died really stinks of conspiratorial murder. I can't imagine why Britons would let his death pass without much scrutiny.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:46 AM on April 28, 2009

I can't imagine why Britons would let his death pass without much scrutiny

Ahem.
posted by MuffinMan at 3:32 AM on April 29, 2009