A conspiracy of silence: the CIA black sites in Poland.

The aim here was to identify and analyze the political rationale behind the persistent veil of secrecy maintained by the Polish political elite with regard to CIA-run prisons located on Polish territory between 2002 and 2004, in the context of the US-led extraordinary rendition program. To do this, the author offers a brief chronological overview of relevant events, before analyzing the factors contributing to the secrecy surrounding Poland's participation in the CIA "black sites." This article argues that raison d'état constituted the supreme, and most uncompromising, political justification for the action taken, endorsed by the Polish political elite. Moreover, the paper examines official statements from the Polish authorities and presents conclusions from recent in-depth interviews given by key political decision-makers who were in office at the time the events took place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]