The highly-selective War on Terror

The U.S. releases a suspected terrorist sought by the Venezuelan government on credible charges of planting a bomb on a Cuban airliner and thereby murdering 73 people.

From a New York Times editorial:

Upon Mr. Posada’s capture, the government of President Hugo Chávez demanded his extradition. But the Bush administration has refused to extradite Mr. Posada to Venezuela or Cuba, claiming that it fears he will be tortured in those countries. In fact, Washington’s reluctance is more likely linked to Mr. Posada’s history as a Central Intelligence Agency operative and a darling of extremist sectors of the powerful Cuban-American community in Florida (he tried to assassinate Fidel Castro with C-4 explosives placed in an auditorium packed with students in Panama in 2000). Twenty-two months have passed since Venezuela formally asked for his extradition, offering 2,000 pages of documentary evidence to substantiate its claim, yet the State Department has not even acknowledged receiving the request.

(More news here in case you're one of those people who refuses to believe anything reported in the New York Times).

Well, isn't it nice that the Bush Administration is terribly concerned about people being tortured. The lesson here? Terrorism and mass murder are A-okay with the Bush Administration if you have the right connections.