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Bush Vows Punishment for Abusers of Iraqi Prisoners

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) promised the Arab world on Wednesday that those responsible for abusing Iraqi prisoners will be punished.

At the same time, Bush voiced full confidence in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. "Of course I've got confidence in the secretary of defense," he told the U.S.-funded Arabic television network Alhurra.

Bush, trying to quell Arab outrage over the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners, said he wanted Iraqis to know that the abuse "does not represent the America that I know."

"It's also important for the people of Iraq (news - web sites) to know that in a democracy everything is not perfect. Mistakes are made. But in a democracy as well those mistakes will be investigated and people will be brought to justice."

Bush said he first learned of allegations of Iraqi prisoner abuse in January and that the U.S. government has been in the process of investigating them.

"Of course I've got confidence in the secretary of defense," he told the U.S.-funded Arabic television network Alhurra.

I recall that when Clinton said this, the person was toast the next day.