Iraq President Won't Destroy Abu Ghraib Prison

Reuters ^ | 6.13.04

[ambrose]

Iraq President Won't Destroy Abu Ghraib Prison

June 13, 2004 - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Interim Iraqi President Ghazi Yawar on Sunday said he had no plans to destroy the Abu Ghraib prison despite an offer by President Bush to tear down the jail where U.S. troops abused inmates.

Asked if he would tear down the prison, Yawar told ABC's "This Week," "No. Why? It's a prison that we spent more than $100 million building."

He acknowledged the prison was a symbol of the repressive regime of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but said it would be unwise and reactionary to destroy all such symbols, given the high cost of rebuilding Iraq.

"We need every single dollar we have in order to rebuild our country instead of demolishing and rebuilding," he said.

Bush last month said the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad would be torn down, if the Iraqi government approved, and the United States would fund the construction of a modern, maximum security prison.

Photographs and videotapes of American soldiers sexually and physically abusing and humiliating Iraqi inmates at the prison have seriously undermined U.S. efforts in Iraq.

The Pentagon last week said it would widen a probe into the abuse of Iraqi prisoners to include actions of the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld requested that autopsies be conducted when detainees die.

Yawar said the new Iraqi government would assume control over the Abu Ghraib prison when the United States hands over power on June 30. "We have to start taking care of all our entities," he said.

[Maigrey]

I loved his answer. And, that does appeal to my fiscal conservative heart.

Why build another when that one will suffice?

[cyncooper]

Note that the new president of Iraq brushes off the American "torture" in the prison, which Reuters is so anxious to bring back

Not just Reuters. The liberal media and dems are chomping at the bit. This past week Kennedy and Biden grilled Ashcroft, as if he were the defendent in a murder trial, over the issue of "prison abuse".

The odious Georgie Anne Geyer wrote a column (Matthews had her as a guest Friday during the services--I know this from other Freepers) actually saying that Biden's *question* about the authorization of torture would be the overriding issue of the week, surpassing the G-8 Summit and Reagan funeral. No, I am not kidding. Not only is her assertion ridiculous, she disregarded that the answer to Biden's question was given: "NO".

Good grief, they are insane.

[Wissa]

You're right, but my mind doesn't think in levels that complex.

[maui_hawaii]

This is a good IMO that he is using his common sense.

He himself is putting those people who are politicizing the effort on their butts.

Link

Now lets have the Democratic Senators and ACLU wanks try and tell the Iraqis how it ought to be...