I think the general public knew all along that Americans used british soil for taking people illegally and torturing them. It's just a shame that it has taken our government so long to admit it.

Let us see if we can stand up to the Bully.

satish Parmar, Harpenden, England

"Get over yourselves. Islamic terrorists are trying to kill you. ...
Bob Bartlett, San Rafael, CA"

Yes, Bob, maybe they are but

1) they're trying to do that because we (UK/US) have invaded Muslim lands for no good reason

2) using the "I'm kidnapped and tortured you, so you must be guilty" technique isn't persuading anyone - Muslim or not - that we have a just cause.

3) If we're going to preach about how our system is better, would be easier if we weren't in favour of invasion without cause, kidnap, torture etc.

Clive, Surrey,

I have to paraphrase our erudite Prime Minister's rendition of an "Extraordinary Rendition";

"It is unfortunate that this was not known and it was unfortunate it happened without us knowing that it had happened but it's important to put in procedures this will not happen again." He then added: "We share the disappointment that everybody has about what's actually happened."

Er, Flash...what was that again?? Did you know what happened?

SK, London,

It was cynical and cruel to have appointed this upstart young man to such an important post as Foreign Secretary and leave him to carry the can, when it looks as if Messrs Blair, Brown and previous Foreign Office Ministers must have suspected for a long time that the Americans had been economical with the truth.

Let's face it, he doesn't really look very grown-up or dignified and I doubt many foreign leaders are going to take his utterances or posturings too seriously.

Gordon Alexander, Frome, UK

how do you know a politician is lying? his lips move.

GK, Calgary, Canada

As an 18 year old being able to vote for the first time next time around I just cannot believe the absolute incompetence of the British electorate who voted these apes in! there's a lot of criticism of Labour flying round but by the simple fact that they won the elections last time round it must mean that most of you voted for them which in my book makes you all as incompetent as they are!

robsaysstuff.blogspot.com, London,

This government cannot get away from spin and lies. It's in their genetic makeup.

SRB, Abergele, UK

How dare any American and Brit assume today's apology will be accepted. 2002? No! Never! Too many innocent people were Kidnapped and Tortured under this program. We have yet to learn how many people lost their lives and can now be recognised as The Disappeared.

The timing of this public apology is fishy. Something is around the corner......

Maddie, Matlock, UK

what ? apology?to whom?
to the poor people who were taken to another country and tortured?and we claim to be democratic and civilised?and then our government has the cheek to question taliban?
they are savages but what are we?what do other countries think of us?just an apology?do you know how many lives you have destroyed mr.miliband?do you know how much suffering you've caused just to please your masters in the white house?
shame on you.just shame on you.

ebbi britt, valencia,

Here we are again - a government with its much touted "ethical foreign policy" fibbing again.

Does anybody believe a word they say, on any subject at all ?

Clive, Surrey,

"efforts are under way that it never happens again."

Does he mean the flights wont happen again, or they wont be caught out again?

Arthur, Newcastle,

What never fails to amaze me is how cover operations are dressed up, rendition flight, sounds more akin to a pop group tour, not some prisoners being transported around the world. And the illustriously incompetent Foreign Secretary is going to apologise to Parliament. What is there to apologise if you done nothing wrong, unless you knew but did it anyway, therefore you mislead Parliament or worst lied to Parliament, Consequently you should have common sense to resign, actually since the country have been mislead on so many occasions by these so called political masters, that they should all resign and call a general election since the British public does not have any confidence any more.

loris, Milan, Italy

Get over yourselves. Islamic terrorists are trying to kill you.

Bob Bartlett, San Rafael, CA

Why would anyone now believe anything coming from this rancid administration. Every statement about Iraq or Afghanistan or, God help us, the 'special relationship' falls into the category of spin, dissembling and excuse-making.

Tony, Edinburgh, Scotland

I never met anyone, anywhere, at any time who believed the government the first time round anyway.

eric campbell, harrogate, uk

Yet again this shows us 2 things (1) To all the USA Governments the words "special friendship" actually means = MUGS ,and (2) That we cannot trust the word of any of the incompetent Labour governments lying Ministers.

This Government; utter incompetence and failure never ceases to dismay me.

Simon, London, UK

As expected, no mention about the Llois people of Deigo Garcia, who where illegaly depopulated by our Government from the Islands under International Law to pave way for a US military base to commit heinous war crimes.

Alex Chinn, Hay-On-Wye, Wales

When will they decide to tell the truth about similar activities on Diego Garcia?

Rob M, Mobile, Alabama

No apology needed.

Melina Jackson, Cambridge, UK

Sad to see that your government is as miserably deceitful as ours about this whole disgusting shameful situation .

Bill Atkins, Rehoboth Beach, USA

the UK is the 51st state of the US; "especial relationship" yeah right!!!

rudy, london,

Mark, I think you may be wrong. Seems the government are indeed above the law.

julian, shrewsbury, uk

Makes me sick to think we have been involved in 'disappearing' people for outsourced torture. Straw should be on trial.

julia, london,

Miliband looks more and more (and acts) like Mr Bean as each day passes

D Cooke, London,

Last time I heard, breaking the law in this land demanded the full weight of the law, and i didn't think any one was above it or am I wrong.

Mark , Gateshead, UK

The worrying thing about this, is that possibly they are telling the truth. In other words, the USA carried out its illegal activities using British territory, and didn't need to ask permission.

Martin Baldwin-Edwards, Athens, Greece

When will our government get away from spin and lies and actually realise that "telling the truth" is better in the long run?

Hamad lone, London, England

How on earth can we be expected to believe our government didn't know, or demand to know, of flights landing on British soil after the terror upgrade? More incompetence?

If we did the same to America they would demand to know and if they didn't get a suitable answer they would ban the flight from touching down. Did they lie to us first time round to get the flight down?

Alistair Kipling, Birmingham,