How Very Sad . . . .

Disappointing, but not unexpected.

Per the CBC this morning:

Harper's office stands firm on Khadr position
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 | 9:59 AM ET

CBC News

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office has weighed in on the release of videotapes showing Toronto-born Omar Khadr being interrogated by Canadian agents at Guantanamo Bay in February 2003, saying the federal government will not change its position on the case.

"Mr. Khadr faces serious charges. There is a judicial process underway to determine Mr. Khadr's fate. This should continue," Kory Teneycke, the prime minister's director of communications, told CBC News Tuesday morning, hours after Khadr's lawyers released excerpts of the tapes.

The excerpts show Khadr, then 16, weeping as he is interviewed by agents from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. He also lifts his shirt to show them the wounds he says he incurred during a battle with American troops in Afghanistan six months before — during which the U.S. military contends the Canadian teenager threw a grenade that killed an American soldier.

"Any comments on the actual contents of the interrogation video must be directed to CSIS," Teneycke said. "The [Prime Minister's Office] will not be making any comments on content." (Ed. emphasis)

_______________


Teneycke said the government of Canada will not seek Khadr's return to Canada on humanitarian grounds, as human rights groups and opposition politicians have been demanding.

"We might also add in terms of background that the government of Canada's position is consistent with the previous government's," the spokesman said. "This is a judicial process as opposed to a political one."

Earlier Tuesday, Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae called for Khadr's return, saying the previous Liberal government's decision was in line with what was then known about the case.

Based on new revelations, Rae said, "I think the question is what do we do now?… And the answer is we bring him home."

So, the PMO will not be commenting on "content." What can we expect them to comment on?

Drivel?

Media spin?

Rumours?

Bob Rae is right.

It's time to bring Khadr home to face the Canadian justice system and not a kangaroo court in Guantanamo.

stevie is doing georgie proud, isn't he ? ? ? ?


Update 7/16: (per Reuters)


Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Khadr faces serious charges and should go on trial.

"Our position has not changed and it's not going to. We're not going to blow in the wind on something as fundamental as this," Harper's chief spokesman Kory Teneycke told Reuters.


Jerk-sticks . . . .