This is a piece of real evidence to back up the gut instinct many of us have that the denials of complicity we are hearing from E.U. member and candidate states cannot be relied upon.

Our only power is political embarrassment with governments that are reluctant to cooperate with us.

I don't see why we should not invite (U.S. Defense Secretary) Donald Rumsfeld, (British Foreign Secretary) Jack Straw, (EU foreign policy chief) Javier Solana, and other foreign and defense ministers.

I'm sure they would be very welcome and they would be heard with great interest - or Condoleezza Rice [the US secretary of state] perhaps?