How Bush Could Reply Better to Charges of Torture and Abuse

5/5/4 | Self

[astudent]

Bush and the Executive Branch of our Government has been making a serious mistake. Bush has been apologizing for the faults of a few misquided military personnel who abused their captives. He has concentrated on the apology--- and this is wrong!

What he should be saying is this: "We live in a democracy. And in our American democracy most people do the right thing, behave properly and are examples for others to follow. However, in our democracy there are a few who make mistakes such as these soldiers who improperly treated their captives. They represent a fringe exception to the outstanding behavior of the vast majority of our young men and women who are in Iraq defending freedom. These few will be punished severely and we condemn their behavior ---as does the rest of the civilized world. The majority of our 100,000 plus soldiers have maintained a remarkable strength of character under difficult conditions while we defend Iraqi freedom --- and they should be honored and supported by the entire world."

"Of course we are sorry for the errant behavior of the few. It is surprising to me how much the mass media concentrates on a few people who are poorly treated as living prisoners and ignores the big story of how Saddam's regime mass murdered 1 million of their own people."

"In the future it is probable that a few of our other troups will also err and require punishment. However, the majority deserve suppport."

"In the great scheme of things, this is a minor issue. What is important is the future freedom of the Iraqi people which we are helping to create. It is time for the media and the rest of the world to concentrate on what is important and to put low import of these few, poor, misquided soldiers."

"Let's concertate on eliminating those in Iraq who are fighting against freedom and our soldiers. Let's concentrate on honoring the majority of our soldiers who are helping to create Iraqi freedom."

[Bobber58]

cite the source and quote pertainining to this alleged "apology"...?

[capydick]

Nice but, it wont happen. Unfortunately.

[buffyt]

"We live in a democracy. And in our American democracy most people ..... OOPS! We are a REPUBLIC not a democracy.

[paul51]

He didn't apologize. He did essentially what you suggest. My suggestion would have been to flip em off. I guess that's why I'm not a diplomat

[cwb]

Ahh...all day I've been listening to the media complain that Bush hasn't apologized...even pointing out how McClellan was doing Bush's job for him. I'm sure if Bush would just do what they demand (apologize), this would all go away:)

[sam_paine]

Uh. Hmmm. Why does everyone keep touting "Democracy" and our "democratic society?" That's not the difference. Democracy merely selects consensus laws to be enforced by a Constituionally restricted government.

We're different than Saddam because we've codified this behaviour in the UCMJ as bad news, and we happen to have an administration that desires (and needs) to enforce it.

That our message is muddled or wrong is no surprise. OJ got more airplay than the anonymous murder trials that went right. So how are the Arabs to believe us, knowing what they think they know?

Bush did the best he could do to confront their misunderestimation of us.

[hole_n_one]

Bush has been apologizing for the faults of a few misquided military personnel who abused their captives. He has concentrated on the apology--- and this is wrong!

From this NY Times article......

President Bush went on Arab television on Wednesday in an effort to limit the diplomatic damage from the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers, offering no direct apology but saying the mistreatment "does not represent the America that I know."

[ValenB4]

There's nothing he can say to make it better. It's already too late, the public relations damage cannot be undone. The people in the ME want to believe the worst about America and this will confirm it in their eyes. And our claims that these acts are those of a of a minority will carry as much weight as Muslim claims that their religion is one of peace. Americans have always treated prisoners kindly. It won't matter that Americans treat prisoners better than Iraqis treated their own prisoners, because we are foreigners doing it to them, whereas they were doing it to themselves.

[DrDeb]

Perhaps you should actually watch or read the President's interview! You can do so at the following link:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/05/20040505-5.html

[Cubs Fan]

I agree, your version IS better than the one I heard

This won;t be the last of this tsuff we see.

The libs have changed tactics, they are no longer "supporting the troops" they are going after them, a la Vietnam.

[TankerKC]

How about, "War is hell."

[Brasil]

Forget the Bush apology. I've been waiting nearly three years for some Arabian authorities to apologize for the torture and murder of 3000 innocent people by 15 sand monkeys from Saudi Arabia.

[thoughtomator]

Bush didn't apologize, he explained the difference between right and wrong, that we recognize it, and how justice is going to happen, which is a lot better than a simple apology, the worth of which hit rock bottom about the time Clinton apologized for slavery on one of his Africa trips.

[bayourod]

He could hold up his hand, curl his thumb, forefinger, and two outter fingers under.

[paul51]

They are pushing for an apology so then they can jump on him for not apologizing for 911 like that other jackass did. Pres. Bush is to smart to walk into that one.

[dirtydanusa]

Thousands of captured soldiers were forced to walk more than 50 miles by their Japanese captors to a prison camp. Here, former prisoners remember how their comrades fell along the way, victims of disease, exhaustion, malnutrition and beatings. Once in the camp, many more were killed at the hands of sadistic guards--shot, bayoneted and even beheaded--often without reason or warning. Along with the poignant and painful memories of those who overcame this brutal ordeal. American Soldiers explain how they were hung by their thumbs for the crime of being American.

To this day, the Japanese deny it ever happened. No apologies or explanation. Now a Japanese car is the #1 seller in the U.S., How soon we forget.

[Mike Darancette]

The real result of this is going to be the empowerment of the Evil element in Iraq. There will yet be a profound bloodletting.

I just find this whole thing unreal, in every picture I see the same woman and to make matters worse she is smoking.

[Choose Ye This Day]

WHAT PRESIDENT BUSH REALLY WANTED TO SAY:
Interview of the President by Al Arabiya Television The Map Room

10:33 A.M. EDT

Q Mr. President, thank you for giving us this chance here in Al Arabiya. Regarding the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners, six U.S. soldiers are being reprimanded. Do you think that's enough?

THE PRESIDENT: First, I want to tell the people of the Middle East that the practices that took place in that prison are abhorrent and they don't represent America. They represent the actions of a few stupid jagoffs. We'll find out who did what, and we'll make 'em wish they had never done it.

This is a serious matter. It's a matter that reflects badly on my country. Our citizens in America are appalled by what they saw, almost as appalled as they were by the images of savages in Fallujah burning and hanging the charred bodies of innocent American contractors from a suspension bridge. Almost as appalled as we were by images of Kurdish women and children burned, maimed, horribly disfigured and killed by biological weapons unleashed on them by Saddam Hussein. Almost as appalled as our soldiers were when they found Saddam's torture victims in the children's prison.

Almost. But not quite. So let's get some perspective.

Q And you just -- you've said this is reflected badly here, in the United States of America. How do you think this will be perceived in the Middle East?

THE PRESIDENT: Does it matter? The Islamofascist nutjobs are gonna hate us no matter what. We could have baked those prisoners a cake and given 'em presents; we'd still be called the Great Satan.


Q We are going to Fallujah -- the way the situation is being resolved, is being considered in some parts of Iraq as a defeat to U.S. How do you address that, or do you have anything to address --

THE PRESIDENT: I got three words for the insurgents in Fallujah: SHEET OF GLASS. If you keep it up, that's what Fallujah's gonna look like pretty soon. We're not dinkin' around. 'Nuff said.

Q Mr. President, critics are saying that by your action in Iraq actually invited al Qaeda and other terrorists to do business with you over there. Could you address that?

THE PRESIDENT: Sure. I'd rather kill terrorists in the streets of Fallujah and Tikrit than let them kill Americans in the streets of New York, San Diego or Peria. Do you remember September the 11th, 2001? Al Qaeda started this war. We're gonna finish it. They want a bloody jihad; we're prepared to help them meet their 72 virgins. Jokes on them, though. All the virgins look like Rachel Corrie and Helen Thomas anyway.

Al Qaeda was here long before March 2003. Ever hear of al Zarqawi? Salman Pak?

Q Mr. President, thank you so much for discussing. Enjoy your day. It's sunny, so I hope you have a good day.

THE PRESIDENT: September 11th started out as a sunny day, too. We're at war, and we're gonna win.