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Wesley Clark blames Bush for humiliating enemy combatants, petitions for Senate investigation
WesPAC ^ | June 29, 2005 | Wesley Clark

Posted on 06/29/2005 8:01:58 AM PDT by HAL9000

Stop Blaming the Troops - Investigate the Real Culprits of Abuse

The time has come to investigate the Bush Administration's role in the prisoner abuse and humiliation that has motivated our enemies in the war on terror and endangers the well-being of our fighting forces.

Today, the reports of abuse and humiliation at detainment facilities in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Cuba are distracting the world from focusing on winning the war on terror. Although the military chain of command seems to have properly investigated the role of its personnel and held accountable those in the wrong, the civilian leadership in this country has failed to do the same.

Call on Senate Armed Services Chairman John Warner to investigate the Bush Administration's role in prisoner abuse now!

For generations, the United States has been a powerful voice of moral authority in the world. After World War II, we led the world in creating the Geneva Conventions and prosecuting war criminals at Nuremberg, and later became one of the first nations to ratify the Convention Against Torture. Even today, Slobodan Milosevic is being tried for war crimes thanks to a U.S.-led NATO air strike against his brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans.

Unfortunately, the Bush Administration has squandered our legacy of moral leadership.

I need your help to protect the honor of our men and women in uniform and to set us on the right course to win the war on terror. Although the President has said the United States is "committed to the worldwide elimination of torture and we are leading this fight by example," the Administration's actions don't match his words. In his infamous memo, Alberto Gonzales advised President Bush to ignore the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war – a treaty that protects our soldiers captured abroad – to give the president more "flexibility." This so-called "flexibility" along with other Administration policies and statements may have ultimately contributed to the environment in which the abuses at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan have occurred.

Among the disturbing practices identified so far: the rendition of prisoners to countries where they can be tortured, failing to register "ghost prisoners" to deny them visits by the Red Cross, employing civilian contract agents to conduct interrogations outside military rules, and the reported prolonged degrading treatment of some detainees in U.S. custody. All of these deserve further investigation.

With the right leadership and accountability, couldn't the Administration have prevented the embarrassment of Abu Ghraib and the controversy at Guantanamo Bay? While some are blaming individual soldiers, doesn't at least some of the responsibility rest with the civilian leadership of our government? Don't the American people deserve the truth? Shouldn't Congress lead an investigation?

Sign my petition to Chairman John Warner now and urge him to hold hearings on the Bush Administration's statements, policies, orders, and actions related to prisoner abuse.

How can we win the war on terrorism, a fight for democracy and freedom in America and around the world, if we forsake the very principles and institutions for which we are fighting?

The laws of war are designed to regulate combat and to protect non-combatants from the violence and degradation of war. The conduct of this Administration may ultimately lead to a green-light for our enemies to torture our soldiers when captured -- we owe it to our men and women in uniform and their families to investigate.

American soldiers deserve better than to see our allies pointing their fingers at Guantanamo Bay and calling it an "American problem." We are doing their work too – defeating terror is a global priority.

People of good conscience cannot afford to stay silent. Please join me today, and then invite everyone you know to stand with us.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark



TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; babblingidiot; blame; clark; clarkaidsterrorists; clarkistheenemy; clintoongeneral; cutandrunrats; enemycombatants; hillaryspuppet; johnwarner; loonyleft; wesclark; wesleyclark
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1 posted on 06/29/2005 8:01:59 AM PDT by HAL9000
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To: HAL9000

Is it possible to perform a citizen's arrest for treason? It might be worth doing once or twice just for the sheer publicity value...


2 posted on 06/29/2005 8:03:13 AM PDT by kevkrom (“It’s good to remember whom people turn to when they’re desperate — and it ain’t Kofi Annan.”)
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To: HAL9000

""Today, the reports of abuse and humiliation at detainment facilities in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Cuba are distracting the world from focusing on winning the war on terror.""

So....shut up already!!!!!!!!!!! Idiot.


3 posted on 06/29/2005 8:04:46 AM PDT by ChadsDad (If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.)
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To: HAL9000

The Prince was on Fox last night, pontificating about the war; he also said that if we hadn't gone to Iraq we wouldn't have all these pesky terrorists we have right now. He seems to think they would have all just stayed home and gone to college or something.


4 posted on 06/29/2005 8:04:56 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: HAL9000

What idiot ever promoted this "tool"?


5 posted on 06/29/2005 8:05:21 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: HAL9000

I heard that yutz last night on Brit's after speech show---he is a terrible representative of the military...

and of course, yet another petition---there must be 4-5 of them for impeachment, and investigations of about everything that President Bush has done...

If he is sending this to Sen.Warner, he may not get a nice reply,,,last night Sen. Warner seemed to indicate that he is sick of the politicization of the war!!!


6 posted on 06/29/2005 8:06:11 AM PDT by Txsleuth (Mark Levin for Supreme Court Justice)
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To: HAL9000

Has this dumb ass even been to Guantanamo Bay?


7 posted on 06/29/2005 8:07:11 AM PDT by finnman69 (cum puella incedit minore medio corpore sub quo manifestus globus, inflammare animos)
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To: HAL9000

Even if there is an investigation, who would believe it? The Arabs? The f-ing terrorists? Our "pals" in western Europe? The answer is: NOBODY.

Besides, there's more abuse happening in the American penal system than there is at Gitmo or Abu Gharib, etc. Imagine, detainees are, reportedly, gaining weight at Gitmo. Good Lord, what kind of a gulag is THAT? Sounds pretty sweet - if you're in stir there.

Wesley Clark should take a long walk off a short pier.


8 posted on 06/29/2005 8:07:26 AM PDT by RexBeach (Pardon me, but is that a malaise sandwich in your pocket or are you just glad to be in a funk?)
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To: HAL9000

They kill our troops.

We might humilate them

Which gets Weasel Clark's concern?


9 posted on 06/29/2005 8:07:32 AM PDT by AppyPappy
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To: Txsleuth
If he is sending this to Sen.Warner, he may not get a nice reply,,

Absolutely! Warner was kicking BUTT on ALL the networks last night, without even getting out of his chair!

I'm calling his office today to congratulate him on SUPPORTING the president. It's about time SOMEBODY did.

10 posted on 06/29/2005 8:07:46 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: RexBeach
Even if there is an investigation, who would believe it?

Heck, I wouldn't even believe it, would you? We've SEEN how these hearings go.......they are nothing but witchhunts and grandstanding for these fools.

11 posted on 06/29/2005 8:09:32 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: HAL9000

WesPac...smeshpac.....


12 posted on 06/29/2005 8:10:23 AM PDT by anniegetyourgun
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To: HAL9000

Every day the man just continues to prove his total irrelevance.


13 posted on 06/29/2005 8:10:47 AM PDT by AxelPaulsenJr (Pray Daily For Our Troops and President Bush)
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To: All

WTF?


14 posted on 06/29/2005 8:10:57 AM PDT by KevinDavis (the space/future belongs to the eagles, the earth/past to the groundhogs)
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To: KevinDavis

Seriously, Dude. WTF?


15 posted on 06/29/2005 8:11:59 AM PDT by RexBeach (Pardon me, but is that a malaise sandwich in your pocket or are you just glad to be in a funk?)
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To: HAL9000
WIDEAWAKE BLAMES CLARK FOR HUMILIATING AMERICAN COMBATANTS
16 posted on 06/29/2005 8:12:03 AM PDT by wideawake (God bless our brave troops and their Commander-in-Chief)
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To: Howlin
The Prince was on Fox last night

We should hit Fox in the ratings by turning off any show he appears on.

17 posted on 06/29/2005 8:12:07 AM PDT by freeperfromnj
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To: HAL9000

So does Wes still have the hat he traded with a war crimminal?


18 posted on 06/29/2005 8:12:14 AM PDT by cripplecreek (I zot trolls for fun and profit.)
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To: ChadsDad

For those who do not comprehend 'shut up' there is always 'STFU!'


19 posted on 06/29/2005 8:12:27 AM PDT by SMARTY
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To: Howlin
The Prince was on Fox last night, pontificating about the war; he also said that if we hadn't gone to Iraq we wouldn't have all these pesky terrorists we have right now.

You can always count on a Rhodes Scholar to spew anti-American rhetoric. They choose their operatives very well.

20 posted on 06/29/2005 8:12:39 AM PDT by Freebird Forever (Imagine if islam controlled the internet.)
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