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Wesley Clark blames Bush for humiliating enemy combatants, petitions for Senate investigation
WesPAC ^ | June 29, 2005 | Wesley Clark

Posted on 06/29/2005 8:01:58 AM PDT by HAL9000

Stop Blaming the Troops - Investigate the Real Culprits of Abuse

The 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



TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; babblingidiot; blame; clark; clarkaidsterrorists; clarkistheenemy; clintoongeneral; cutandrunrats; enemycombatants; hillaryspuppet; johnwarner; loonyleft; wesclark; wesleyclark
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To: HAL9000

So when did the "Perfumed Prince of Darkness" start working for Amnesty International?


81 posted on 06/29/2005 9:07:50 AM PDT by daviscupper
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To: HAL9000

This is the same butthead that provided Janet Reno with the tanks at WACO! He is a real liberal soldier, run from the enemy and use your weapons on innocent children! What a poster geek for FOX NEWS!


82 posted on 06/29/2005 9:08:00 AM PDT by leprechaun9
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To: HAL9000

Clark and the Klintoon neeed to be investigated for killing thousands of innocent Serb civilians during Clark's 30,000 foot Monica war operations.

Oh yeah Klintoon, how is that Kosovo Monica war gig of yours going, going, going, going, going, ad nauseam??

Remember Bosnia, Klintoon and his minions said US troops would be there for only one year, no more. Well, 13 years later, guess what?

Speaking of guess what, have any media whores or liberals questioned or disparaged any of the above? Bias, nah, nothing to see here, move along, nothing behind the curtain.


83 posted on 06/29/2005 9:10:28 AM PDT by Ursus arctos horribilis ("It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" Emiliano Zapata 1879-1919)
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To: IL Republican
I have a terrible memory... I can't recall what happened when he decide to retire and run for pres. I think that he had some personal problem with Bush.

I'm doing this from memory, but I think Clark was fired as NATO commander by Clinton after Kosovo because Clark wanted to attack the Russians who were advancing on an airport. Another general also alluded to personality conflicts, apparently Clark was full of himself.

-PJ

84 posted on 06/29/2005 9:11:29 AM PDT by Political Junkie Too (It's still not safe to vote Democrat.)
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To: HAL9000

Ugh.....gosh Wesley, (what a name for a supposed warrior), I think a bunch of Congressman went down to Gitmo and all came back, (even the evil Democrats) admitting that the so-called abuse was exaggerated.

So shut your pie hole.


85 posted on 06/29/2005 9:12:57 AM PDT by Busywhiskers (Former Republican since the Great RINO betrayal of 2005.)
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To: HAL9000
Gosh, I didn't realize the seriousness of this.

We should all thank Mr. Clark and order the military to stop "humiliating" these stateless, non-uniformed combatants. Yes rather than humiliation, the civilian leadership of the US should instruct the military to follow international rules and execute every single one of them (after a fair military trial) as spies (combatants out of uniform), pirates, or just plain felons. No better yet, we should ask the Afghan and Iraqi governments to conduct the trials and punishments.

I am sure that Mr. Clark and the world community would be much happier with thousands of dead people rather than "humiliated" people. Oh, the humanity! (/sarcasm)

Am I correct in reading this that world opinion would be much better toward the US if we provide these terrorists a death with honor as opposed to imprisonment which might humiliate their spirit? I think not!

86 posted on 06/29/2005 9:14:14 AM PDT by Robert357 (D.Rather "Hoist with his own petard!" www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1223916/posts)
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To: Alouette
"Can't hurt the enemy's widdle biddle feelings."

The Left's attitude towards Muslim extremists is very close to the enabling and co-dependent relationships seen among alcoholics and drug addicts. Sympathizing with the extremists, the Left can't bring itself to ever really criticize them; instead, it makes excuses for them and blames their problems on others, no matter how destructive their behavior is. The Left gives free needles to drug addicts, booze to drunks (the latest brilliant idea here in Seattle), condoms to adulterers, and money to terrorists.
87 posted on 06/29/2005 9:14:37 AM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: SF Republican
Wes, how many US citizen men, women, and children did your troops kill in Waco at Clintons bidding?

I'd like to see this disaster re-investigated, if only for traces of whitewash. And there is likely to be little else left to uncover.

As for Clark, he could drive a tour bus for runaway brides, he's that loony. It was probably a smart move for Fox to take him on board, he will further discredit the left every time he opens his mouth. We don't even need a Humer (smackdown) when Clark is doing the raving.

88 posted on 06/29/2005 9:21:14 AM PDT by Graymatter (Draft Rumsfeld. For President.)
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To: Steve_Seattle

The Muslims believe that it's a "desecration" if the infidel touches the Koran with his ungloved left hand.

The problem is not what the Muslims believe, the problem is that the Leftist infidels agree with them.


89 posted on 06/29/2005 9:22:52 AM PDT by Alouette (The only thing learned from history is that nobody ever learns from history.)
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To: HAL9000
Image hosted by Photobucket.com allright... who's got the picture of weasley on the cover of the FagMag???
90 posted on 06/29/2005 9:36:40 AM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist ©®)
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To: Txsleuth

"If idiot politicians and MSM want to falsly critisize the military's job over there, they can be un-elected or fired but ex-military just keep waving their medals and rank around, giving "credence" to what the "pull out now" crowd is saying."

I couldn't agree with you more. I'm getting sick of this.

I'm glad Bush finally came out to rally the troops, (meaning us too.) This is no way the same as Viet Nam however these SOBs in MSM and our elected officials are making this into another Viet Nam.

Did you ever wonder how demoralizing it would be to our enemies if we, as a nation were united? The europeans, Chinese, Arab world etc. are working over time behind the scenes to undermind us, because it sounds like the American people are divided on this.

nick


91 posted on 06/29/2005 10:12:50 AM PDT by nikos1121
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To: longtermmemmory

Lefists are against any war. We should send our enemies flowers. In fact, if we were nice to these people they wouldn't be mad at us or try to kill us.

Have you gone to the Michael Savage website. As much as I hated to watch this, I think every American should watch what he has posted there so as to "know our enemy."

http://www.homestead.com/prosites-prs/

nick


92 posted on 06/29/2005 10:15:37 AM PDT by nikos1121
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To: Txsleuth

"I heard that yutz last night on Brit's after speech show---he is a terrible representative of the military..."

In the last few days, I've been e-mailing Fox and questioning the sanity of hiring this guy. I'll keep on doing this until he's gone.

Join me.

Comments@foxnews.com


93 posted on 06/29/2005 10:21:18 AM PDT by toddlintown (Your papers please.)
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To: HAL9000

This really is unbelieveable. The MSM constantly tells us how brilliant this former general is and then he makes a statement like "...humiliating interns at Guantanomo..."

How do you humiliate "animals" that will blow the arms and legs off of innocent women and children? Give me a break. Arn't there any more deserving victims in Wes Clark's brilliant little mind than the terrorists held by the U.S. Military. This is laughable, pathetic and disgusting. He is a physical and mental pigmy. No offense to pigmies.


94 posted on 06/29/2005 10:24:51 AM PDT by daviscupper
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To: toddlintown

I had already e-mailed them twice about Clark---now it's 3 times...thanks for the link...


95 posted on 06/29/2005 10:28:32 AM PDT by Txsleuth (Mark Levin for Supreme Court Justice)
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To: SF Republican

Yeah...and Clark is the same man who commanded forces during the 78-day aerial bombardment of Serbia. How can this man be concerned with "Geneva Conventions" when this war violated several of them.

It was policy in this war to target civilian infrastructure...which not only included utilities, but SerbTV (resulting in deaths) and a railway bridge that killed several people...including children. I wonder how he felt about the deaths resulting from the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade? Oops!

Hell this war created one of the largest humanitarian crisis' in the history of warfare, as millions of refugees were left homeless and fleeing to other countries.

I just don't recall Clark's concern (or the media's) for the well-being of the civilian population of either of these combatants...or civilians. Oh...and this war had neither formal congressional approval or UN support, both of which Iraq had. These people are dangerous frauds.


96 posted on 06/29/2005 10:49:00 AM PDT by cwb
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To: IL Republican
Clark nearly started World War III with first the Chinese by "mistakenly" bombing their embassy in Kosovo. Then he nearly did it again by trying to order the British who occupied the area of the Pristina airport in Kosovo, Bosnia,(?) to attack the Russians who had taken the airport for themselves.

Clark originally, as still is his family back here in Arkansas, a Republican. The story goes that he bolted the party when the White House rebuffed his efforts to join the ticket as Bush's vice-President.

97 posted on 06/29/2005 11:05:30 AM PDT by AxelPaulsenJr (Pray Daily For Our Troops and President Bush)
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To: AxelPaulsenJr

bttt


98 posted on 08/14/2005 11:51:11 AM PDT by timestax
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