Afghan Detainee Deal A Dud- July Edition

A month on, since the last minute, save face, horribly flawed detainee deal was finally announced. I saw on a news ticker yesterday that MP’s have begun to pour over the documents.

Wow, dare I say it sounded like progress- well at least until you inquire further.

What is particularly striking, the MP’s still haven’t decided on the panelists, although I’m sure the government side is working tirelessly in this regard- cough. What is happening, if you can call it that, MP’s are being allowed to view the most benign documents, as denoted by the government. Any document which the government says falls under "legal advice" is not being viewed by MP’s, at least until this panel is constructed. In other words, it would appear the parties are trying to give the appearance that this "deal" is starting to bear fruit, when really people are spinning their wheels.

The bottom line, the MP’s aren’t viewing anything with any meat on it, and I would submit, nothing which isn’t already in the public domain. I note the Liberals are giving the Conservatives the benefit of the doubt, arguing the delay in appointing panelists is simply due to finding people to devote substantial time throughout the summer. If that’s true, then maybe do away with the farce of looking productive, when your admission suggests otherwise. About all I can see, another month stroked off the PMO calendar, given that’s clearly the strategy- delay wins the day again.