JOHN CHUCKMAN COMMENT: THE HORRIBLE CASE OF MR. ABDELRAZIK LEFT STRANDED ABROAD AND TIME TO BRING HIM HOME

JOHN CHUCKMAN

 

POSTED RESPONSE TO A COLUMN BY IRVING COTLER AND DAVID GROSSMAN IN TORONTO’S GLOBE AND MAILThe real story behind the government’s disgraceful treatment of Mr. Abdelrazik is our government abasing itself for fear of offending the least American sensitivity.

We know there are high-level Americans who have even the basic facts of 9/11 wrong – both the Homeland Security Secretary and Senator John McCain spoke foolishly only recently.

There has been in America generally a big head of steam and lack of clear thinking over the crime of 9/11, but we do not have to accommodate America’s every whim and myth in these affairs.

America’s head of steam is why they are in Afghanistan, and it is why we are there.

America’s head of steam is why we’ve left a boy to rot in Guantanamo.

America’s head of steam is why we’ve quietly cooperated in the transport and torture of several Canadians.

And America’s head of steam is why we are doing irrational things like no-fly lists and bio-metric records of visitors.

It is time to act responsibly on at least this one matter of human rights.