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President Bush's words were very carefully chosen. He did not apologize per se but, as is eminently reasonable, said he is indeed sorry for what happened. There's a crucial difference.If Bush refused to say he is sorry, the Arab world will continue to cry out that Bush refuses to say he is sorry, and that Bush is really laughing at what happened. We are in a war for our survival. The fuel in your car is from the Middle East. Winning the hearts and minds of those in the Arab lands is as critical as anything can be. Two more photos came out today: one of an arab stripped, tied, and bent severely back against a bunk - with a pair of panties covering his head; the other of a stripped arab man lying on a floor with what looks like a leash around his neck held by a U.S. soldier (the implication is that the prisoner is bbeing treated deliberately like a dog.)You may at first smile at this. But think again - how would you react if you saw American prisoners - your own countrymen - being culturally humiliated in this manner. You would justifably be in a rage; and you, too, would call it torture. With these new photos, Bush had no choice but to say he was sorry for what happened. He was absolutely right.

The following is an excerpt of what our President (a compassionate and strong man) said today. To any, and I mean any that find fault or think that the President is soft really need to examine themselves and their thought processes. Some might consider someone being soft, while others considers that same person as having a soul, a heart.

We also talked about what has been on the TV screens recently, not only in our own country but overseas: the images of cruelty and humiliation. I've told His Majesty as plainly as I could that the wrongdoers will be brought to justice and that the actions of those folks in Iraq do not represent the values of the United States of America.

I told him I was sorry for the humiliation suffered by the Iraqi prisoners and the humiliation suffered by their families.

BUSH: I told him I was equally sorry that the -- that people would see those pictures, didn't understand the true nature and heart of America. I assured him that Americans like me didn't appreciate what we saw, and it made us sick to our stomachs.

I also made it clear to His Majesty that the troops we have in Iraq, who were there for security and peace and freedom, are the finest of the fine, fantastic United States citizens, who represent the very best qualities of America: courage, love of freedom, compassion and decency.

And for, Your Majesty, how much damage did these images do in your country?

King Abdullah:

ABDULLAH: Mr. President, I think the reaction in Jordan as well as the reaction here in the United States was the same. I think we're all horrified by the images.

But as has been clearly explained here in Washington, an immediate investigation has been asked for to bring the people who perpetrated these heinous crimes to justice. And we hope that that will happen very quickly. And it doesn't reflect on the morals, the values, that the United States stands for.

I am quite convinced that once the investigation was under way, those that are guilty of these crimes will be brought to justice.