Europe to Rice: We want answers

The International Herald tribune reports that European officials will demand explanations about reports of secret CIA prisons in Europe. The IHT reports a quote from unnamed European sources:

Condoleezza Rice will face a barrage of questions over reports of covert prisoner transfers by the CIA when she arrives in Europe for a five-day visit next week

The questions will be heightened with the signing of an accord to open new U.S. military bases in Romania, one of the countries Human Rights Watch cited as a location of secret CIA prisons. The Europeans should not back down on this issue. Either the U.S. has violated the sovereignty of European countries or they have been partners with the U.S. in its secret prisons. Either way, the possibility remains for revokation of voting rights if any EU countries allowed CIA prisons and accession countries face delay in their union with the EU if they assisted. Rice has stated that she will rebuff any serious inquiries, but it will be interesting on how she avoids the questions.