Afghanistan and Detainee Abuse up to and Including 2006

When Canada joined in the invasion of Afghanistan in 2002, it was determined that all prisoners, or detainees, would be handed over to the Americans. This seemed like the most logical thing to do, since they were running the show.

However, when 15 US soldiers were charged under the criminal code for horrendous torture, including deaths, at Bagram in Afghanistan; we clearly needed a change in plans.

But it was in the middle of an election campaign, so then prime minister, Paul Martin; signed off on the deal suggested by Rick Hillier, to hand over the detainees to the Afghan authorities.

According to Amnesty International, General Hillier indicated that he didn't care what happened to them once he caught them, so long as he was privy to any information obtained. As such he made Canada the only NATO country that did not demand to know what happened to it's captures.

"In December of 2005, while Canada was in the middle of the election campaign that brought Stephen Harper to power, then-Chief of Defence Staff General Rick Hillier signed a deal establishing our detainee transfer protocol — an arrangement that did not provide for Canadians to monitor their prisoners" (Stephen Maher, Chronicle Herald)

I'm trying to archive my posts, making them easier to access, so will use this page to link stories related to the Afghan Detainee prior to and including 2006. By laying everything out chronologically, we can see that this government has been spinning a yarn for several years. They lied to us then and they're lying to us now.

Afghan Detainee Stories up to and Including 2006

Related Postings on Afghanistan up to and Including 2006

A Background to Afghanistan. A Nation of Perpetual Conflict

The Shah of Iran and the Birth of Terrorists

How Did we Get Here From There? The Afghanistan Call to Arms

Truth May be the First Casualty of War, But in 2002 There Was Nothing Casual About Afghanistan

Paul Martin, Rick Hillier and a New Direction For Afghanistan