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(BARF ALERT)TORTURE IN IRAQ -- (Senate - May 04, 2004)

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Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I had not intended to speak to the appalling news in the last several days about the mistreatment of prisoners in Iraq. But I must say I come to the floor with grave concerns about the news, about the events, about the message it sends, about the extraordinary impact this violation of human rights can have on our efforts to succeed in that country, and about our appalling inability to explain how this happened.

While I certainly am not in a position today to speak with any clarity or

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definitive character with regard to the facts, let me say that I don't know that there has ever been a time when we needed a better understanding of how this could have happened, why it happened, how widespread these practices may have been, what the administration has done about it, what they intend to do about it, why the President was not informed, why the Defense Secretary was not informed until just recently, why no one has seen the report, why the Intelligence Committees were not informed, and why, in other words, has there been this extraordinary disconnect, this unbelievable failure of communication and of oversight.
We need answers. I hope no later than the end of this week the Secretary of Defense can come to the Senate, as he does with some regularity, and explain to us what they know, what happened, and what is going to be done about it.

We must do everything we can to ensure that we understand the circumstances surrounding these appalling acts. We must also be provided with a very specific and detailed response that spells out the measures taken to discipline those responsible and outlines what steps will be taken to ensure this never happens again.

Somehow, we have to say to the international community that this is not the United States of America. I think it is imperative that the Senate itself speak to this issue in some manner. We should send a clear signal through a resolution or some other collective and forceful means that expresses how important it is to adhere to the international standards respecting the human rights of every person.

We cannot be silent. We must learn, respond, and speak out. I hope all that will be done at the earliest possible time.