Posted on 06/29/2005 8:01:58 AM PDT by HAL9000
Stop Blaming the Troops - Investigate the Real Culprits of AbuseThe time has come to investigate the Bush Administration's role in the prisoner abuse and humiliation that has motivated our enemies in the war on terror and endangers the well-being of our fighting forces.
Today, the reports of abuse and humiliation at detainment facilities in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Cuba are distracting the world from focusing on winning the war on terror. Although the military chain of command seems to have properly investigated the role of its personnel and held accountable those in the wrong, the civilian leadership in this country has failed to do the same.
Call on Senate Armed Services Chairman John Warner to investigate the Bush Administration's role in prisoner abuse now!
For generations, the United States has been a powerful voice of moral authority in the world. After World War II, we led the world in creating the Geneva Conventions and prosecuting war criminals at Nuremberg, and later became one of the first nations to ratify the Convention Against Torture. Even today, Slobodan Milosevic is being tried for war crimes thanks to a U.S.-led NATO air strike against his brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans.
Unfortunately, the Bush Administration has squandered our legacy of moral leadership.
I need your help to protect the honor of our men and women in uniform and to set us on the right course to win the war on terror. Although the President has said the United States is "committed to the worldwide elimination of torture and we are leading this fight by example," the Administration's actions don't match his words. In his infamous memo, Alberto Gonzales advised President Bush to ignore the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war – a treaty that protects our soldiers captured abroad – to give the president more "flexibility." This so-called "flexibility" along with other Administration policies and statements may have ultimately contributed to the environment in which the abuses at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan have occurred.
Among the disturbing practices identified so far: the rendition of prisoners to countries where they can be tortured, failing to register "ghost prisoners" to deny them visits by the Red Cross, employing civilian contract agents to conduct interrogations outside military rules, and the reported prolonged degrading treatment of some detainees in U.S. custody. All of these deserve further investigation.
With the right leadership and accountability, couldn't the Administration have prevented the embarrassment of Abu Ghraib and the controversy at Guantanamo Bay? While some are blaming individual soldiers, doesn't at least some of the responsibility rest with the civilian leadership of our government? Don't the American people deserve the truth? Shouldn't Congress lead an investigation?
Sign my petition to Chairman John Warner now and urge him to hold hearings on the Bush Administration's statements, policies, orders, and actions related to prisoner abuse.
How can we win the war on terrorism, a fight for democracy and freedom in America and around the world, if we forsake the very principles and institutions for which we are fighting?
The laws of war are designed to regulate combat and to protect non-combatants from the violence and degradation of war. The conduct of this Administration may ultimately lead to a green-light for our enemies to torture our soldiers when captured -- we owe it to our men and women in uniform and their families to investigate.
American soldiers deserve better than to see our allies pointing their fingers at Guantanamo Bay and calling it an "American problem." We are doing their work too – defeating terror is a global priority.
People of good conscience cannot afford to stay silent. Please join me today, and then invite everyone you know to stand with us.
Sincerely,
Wes Clark
Is it possible to perform a citizen's arrest for treason? It might be worth doing once or twice just for the sheer publicity value...
""Today, the reports of abuse and humiliation at detainment facilities in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Cuba are distracting the world from focusing on winning the war on terror.""
So....shut up already!!!!!!!!!!! Idiot.
The Prince was on Fox last night, pontificating about the war; he also said that if we hadn't gone to Iraq we wouldn't have all these pesky terrorists we have right now. He seems to think they would have all just stayed home and gone to college or something.
What idiot ever promoted this "tool"?
I heard that yutz last night on Brit's after speech show---he is a terrible representative of the military...
and of course, yet another petition---there must be 4-5 of them for impeachment, and investigations of about everything that President Bush has done...
If he is sending this to Sen.Warner, he may not get a nice reply,,,last night Sen. Warner seemed to indicate that he is sick of the politicization of the war!!!
Has this dumb ass even been to Guantanamo Bay?
Even if there is an investigation, who would believe it? The Arabs? The f-ing terrorists? Our "pals" in western Europe? The answer is: NOBODY.
Besides, there's more abuse happening in the American penal system than there is at Gitmo or Abu Gharib, etc. Imagine, detainees are, reportedly, gaining weight at Gitmo. Good Lord, what kind of a gulag is THAT? Sounds pretty sweet - if you're in stir there.
Wesley Clark should take a long walk off a short pier.
They kill our troops.
We might humilate them
Which gets Weasel Clark's concern?
Absolutely! Warner was kicking BUTT on ALL the networks last night, without even getting out of his chair!
I'm calling his office today to congratulate him on SUPPORTING the president. It's about time SOMEBODY did.
Heck, I wouldn't even believe it, would you? We've SEEN how these hearings go.......they are nothing but witchhunts and grandstanding for these fools.
WesPac...smeshpac.....
Every day the man just continues to prove his total irrelevance.
WTF?
Seriously, Dude. WTF?
We should hit Fox in the ratings by turning off any show he appears on.
So does Wes still have the hat he traded with a war crimminal?
For those who do not comprehend 'shut up' there is always 'STFU!'
You can always count on a Rhodes Scholar to spew anti-American rhetoric. They choose their operatives very well.
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