Posted on 05/20/2004 6:53:01 PM PDT by sathers
Plans to destroy the prision where Iraqi detainees were 'humiliated' and 'abused' took a small step forward Thursday as lawmakers voted to include it in a multimillion dollar defense bill.
The plan by Pennsylvania Reps. Curt Weldon a Republican, and John P. Murtha a Democrat would demolish the Abu Ghraib prision and build a modernized detention facility in its place.
It was slipped into a $422 billion defense authorization bill that the House approved Thursday.
The proposal drew an immediate rebuke from one lawmaker Wednesday during a short debate on the House floor.
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) said destroying the prision is the 'sovereign Iraqis' decision to make. 'It is not ours to insist upon or suggest but only to abide.'
Weldon responding, noted that the demolition plans calls of the consent of the new Iraqi government, since 'by the time this bill passes, they will be in charge.'
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil
BREAKING: Iraqi provisional government votes 36-0 to destroy US Congress..
Ridiculous! Another example of symbolism over substance!
unbelievable
I actually agree with the demolition of Abu Ghraib. Its a highly smbolic gesture that erases a building that represents to much evil.
Ya... but it makes for a helluva soundbite.
You're right. And that's exactly what makes public opinion and wins elections.
Congress is a bunch of idiots. I don't want any of my money used for this. It's a waste.
Abu Ghraib should be destroyed. Much evil was done there during the Hussein era.
This is STUPIDITY ON PARADE....
Pretty unilaterial of them, don't ya think?
Excellent! Best thing Congress has done in some little while.
Since when have the members of congress became vandals destroying the property of others?
I believe the Iraqis want to make a memorial there. There are a lot of Iraqis who were tortured and killed at that prison. To tear it down would be to abandon them and their memories, but to make it into a memorial and a museum of Saddam's regime would remind them of what was done there.
Destroy it and rebuild at American taxpayer expense no doubt. It isn't going to change what happened. Yup, PC non-thinking.
Prairie
I agree, but so long as the act occurs on July 1st - it can be the first sumbolic act of iraqi soverignty. that would be a good political and symbolic play all around.
I guess you missed that little thing called war we've been having for the past 14 months..
PUL-EESE --This is NOT Auschwitz!
The Iraqis have been agitating to have Abu Ghraib torn down since before the war even began..
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