Bush: Iraqi prisoner abuse on Arab TV
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| Wed, 05-05-2004 - 10:17am |
Bush to address Iraqi prisoner abuse on Arab TV.
President Bush will give interviews to two Arab television networks Wednesday about reports of U.S. military personnel abusing Iraqi prisoners, the White House said.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the 10-minute interviews with Al-Hurra, a U.S.-sponsored network, and Al Arabiya will take place about 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) in the Map Room at the White House.
"This is an opportunity for the president to speak directly to the people of Arab nations and let them know that the images that we all have seen are shameful and unacceptable," McClellan told reporters during a Bush campaign tour.
Referring to photographs that have surfaced showing Iraqi prisoners being abused McClellan said, "The images do not represent what America stands for, nor do they represent the high standards of conduct that the military is committed to uphold. The U.S. believes in treating all people with dignity and respect."
Asked why Bush would not meet with the Arab network Al-Jazeera, McClellan would only say the other two networks "reach a wide range of people in the Middle East."
McClellan said the actions of the accused soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq "do not represent what 99 percent of the men and women in the military stand for." (Full story)
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said Tuesday that he would take "all measures necessary" to ensure that abuse of detainees in Iraq "does not happen again."
Rumsfeld defended the Defense Department's handling of the matter in the face of congressional criticism, noting that a criminal investigation by the Army was under way and publicly disclosed three months before what he called "deeply disturbing" photographs were broadcast last week.
"This is a serious problem, and it's something the department is addressing," he said at a Pentagon news briefing. "The system works. The system works."
Rumsfeld said the criminal investigation was one of six launched since January.
More..............
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/05/05/iraq.abuse.main/index.html


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As of last April and the fall of Saddam Hussain, the prison was empty. Our military renovated in, putting in new clean facilities. The people who were put there were POW's. There were people there with crimes ranging from not following orders at checkpoints to murdering Americans. The most dangerous prisoners, the murderous thugs, were put into one area called the "hard site". The less dangerous were put into another area. There were not thousands and thousands of murderous thugs abused. There were only seven, all men, that have been proven so far to have been abused. This abuse amounts to them being put into embarrassing situations. There has been no torture proven, no women abused, no 80 year old women ridden like mules, etc.
Once Rumsfeld heard about this he began prosecuting the abusers. The General in charge was removed from her command. Rumsfeld has done everything properly and is handling this as well as it can be handled.
If we had just sat back and left them alone, imo, you would have seen more devastation over here like the one we expericenced on September 11, 2001. Did you hear about that? 3000 innocent Americans were murdered by middle eastern men who want us all dead because we don't enjoy the same religion that they do.
They feel that everybody should die who does not believe the way they do. There is no reasoning with them or trying to get them to like us.
Since President Bush started fighting back there have been fewer terrorist attacks in the world. There hasn't been a year with as few terrorist attacks since 1969. It is proven that we are safer now.
The terrorists know now that we are serious and are on the run instead of killing more of us, they are hiding and trying to save their own dispicable hides. If we surrender now, and withdraw troops it will send the wrong message. It will tell them that we ARE a paper tiger and bloody us a little, propagandize a lot, and we will run home with our tails tucked behind us. Then all hell will break loose, and we will not be able to go to a public place without fear of being blown up...
Welcome to the In The News board.
Sadly, it's turning out to be more widespread than 10 or 12 individuals...
And I disagree.
It is possible that some on the other side of the prison were arrested in error because they did not follow orders at checkpoints does not necessarily make them guilty, but it does make them look suspicious, and as dangerous as it is over there it is better for OUR SIDE to err on the side of caution. I also read that with the modern facilities, and the food, they are better off than they were outside of this prison, but, again, THESE people were not abused. Seven of the murderous or attempted murderous thugs were.
I think it was wrong to abuse them but this has gone on long enough. I didn't see this much sympathy for OUR people who have been murdered and dragged through the streets and hung on bridges. I think it's disgusting that these people generate more AMERICAN sympathy than our own innocents who have been murdered by them get.
See, and I think that this endless stream of excuses your side come out with is what is disgusting.
James
janderson_ny@yahoo.com
CL Ask A Guy
>"please don't judge all of us by just only a few"<
Ofcourse
I think it's disgusting that these people generate more AMERICAN sympathy than our own innocents who have been murdered by them get.
In the first place, I don't believe that's true.
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