But for the U.S., deportation of suspects to countries where torture is conducted by proxy — "rendition" as it is known in American intelligence circles — is part of a larger pattern that is causing alarm, and critics say it's damaging America's image in the international community.

The most frequently used offshore torture depots are Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Morocco, human rights groups say.
Ironically, those countries are frequently criticized by the U.S. State Department in its annual surveys of international human rights.

Hours after the crash, F16 jets dropped three bombs in the area and early on Saturday morning troops backed by armoured vehicles swept through Tikrit, destroying several abandoned buildings the US believes were used by insurgents. "This is to remind the town that we have teeth and claws and we will use them," Colonel Russell said.


In a major setback to U.S. efforts to attract military help in Iraq, a Turkish official said Tuesday his country won't send peacekeeping troops without a significant change in the situation there. That makes it virtually certain the United States will have to send thousands more U.S. reservists early next year.

Saddam loyalists and others are trying to create havoc to force out the Americans, Bush said. "I can't tell you what he's doing," he said. "All I can tell you is he's not running Iraq. And all I can tell you, as well, there's a lot of -- some people who are upset by the fact that he's no longer in power."

"For whatever reason, this (Bush) administration saw fit not to put too much counterweight on the Iraqi Governing Council," Logoglu said. "If the U.S. perception of the need for Turkish troops in Iraq changes, then perhaps that could change."