Torture, American style.

If you haven't already read Bob Herbert's recent New York Times columns on the arrest, torture and "rendition" (have to love that phrase) of Canadian Maher Arar (here and here), you might take a few minutes to see just what the Bush administration thinks of the whole concept of Canadian sovereignty, or due process, or rights, or whatever neat phrase they've decided to completely ignore these days.

But don't stop there. Follow that up with the New Yorker's article on the U.S.'s amusing policy of what they call "extraordinary rendition", plus a commentary on that piece.

And if a disturbing number of Americans can't seem to figure out why we don't want to hop into bed with them in their war against worldwide terrorism, the answer might be depressingly simple. When it comes to your friends against the terrorists, it can be annoyingly difficult to tell them apart at times.