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
This might sink the Weasel for all and good.
Wesley Clark belongs on Lynndie England's leash.
Maybe President Bush can recall Weasley to active duty and put him in charge of some obscure outpost...
This jacka@@ is the epitome of stupidity. I forced myself to listen to his crap and was yelling at the TV constantly. He just never got it and why Fox invited this nitwit to offer anything I'll never understand. He is so far off it makes me sick.
I was so surprised by his remarks I had to watch it twice to make sure I heard what I heard.
Brit Hume was INCREDULOUS; I'm betting Brit is going to be on Clark's butt until 2008.
The Stalinist freak has a problem with America winning any war, much less this one.
I have never had any respect for Congressional or Senate hearings. It is a way for the politicos to grandstand, make outrageous allegations and statements without being held accountable for their stupidity. Contempt of Congress, you betcha. I do like to see Rummmy before Congress, he gives it back to them.
Clark is a first class jackass.
You could have pushed me over with a feather when I saw him on FOX news last night critiquing Bush's speech.
These prisoners are not soldiers. They are terrorists. Fanatic gangsters and thugs who wear the uniform of no government and target innocent civilians.
NOTHING is too humiliating for them.
He wears women's underwear, doesn't he.
Screw this prima donna POS Perfumed prince a$$ho-e! He is and was a toon wannabe.
So, who cares what Wesley Crusher says about Iraq? He was one of the most hated crew members on Star Trek and soon forgotten.
He's a pawn of the Clintons and Dean's dummies. The Democrats would screw it up as badly as they did Vietnam. The ONLY winners would be the bin Ladenists, Zarqai-ists, Sadaam's Baathists and the communits.
Clark is a pimp for the Democrats. Wearing his uniform is just a shame. NO GENERALS ever, ever, ever wear uniforms and discuss their politics. He broke the rule. But, then, he IS a pawn for the Clintons. So much for Clark's "duty, honor and country."
Sidenote: Calling this "Bush's war" is a heinous attempt to separate the people, the Iraqis, the soldiers and the war in general from Bush and make it all BUSH. It was designed to besmirch, separate, demean and otherwise humiliate Bush. That was done to Johnson, "Johnson's war" by those communists and other leftists who hate America and want our ruin.
Then, it was the communist/socialist Americans, the ultra left side of the Democrat party. Today it is the same group. They are the same but bigger far-left side of the Democrat party. That is, there are more Democrats who feel that way. The party has become more communist/socialist. They have normalized anti-Americanism with their secular, Christian-American-hating moral relativity.
The true-blue, union-loving, patriotic, blue-collar, old fashioned, Zell Miller Democrats are all but gone.
someone sould tell FNC that weasely "almost started WWIV" clark comes on the channel, the TV clicks away from FNC. Clark is a liar and his words are meaningless.
Fox had him on to expose him.
Weasely Clerk is simply America's worst General.
someone tell FNC, Clark is a ratings killer.
"Wesley Clark belongs on Lynndie England's leash."
LOL!
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