CIA Prison Intrigue Continues

One of the European Union's Commissioners has suggested that if any EU country is found to have hosted secret CIA prisons, they would face sanctions up to loss of their voting privilege. While it would be difficult to institute such a penalty because it requires unanimity among the other members, it should be taken. However, if there are multiple countries under suspicion, then it would be unlikely to pass unless the vote was taken at once, otherwise each country could shield the other. It will be an important test for the political will of the EU. When the last chance for implementing sanction against an EU member country when Germany (among other smaller countries) breached the fiscal rules under the Stability and Growth Pact, the EU balked. The maximum penalty could have been a fine held without interest by the EU of 0.5 percent of GDP until the budget meets the Stability and Growth Pact. However, instead of taking action, the EU met and weakened the rules on the pact, letting Germany and many other EU countries off the hook. Hopefully if CIA prisons are discovered in EU member countries, a more decisive, firm action will result.