Fleischer: Rape of POWs 'not worth mentioning'

WorldNetDaily ^ | March 25, 2003 | Les Kinsolving

[Dajjal]

Fleischer: Rape of POWs 'not worth mentioning'

Spokesman fails to address issue of U.S. women held by enemy

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Posted: March 25, 2003
7:10 p.m. Eastern

Editor's note: Each week, WorldNetDaily White House correspondent Les Kinsolving asks the tough questions no one else will ask. And each week, WorldNetDaily brings you the transcripts of those dialogues with the president and his spokesman. If you'd like to suggest a question for the White House, submit it to WorldNetDaily's exclusive interactive forum MR. PRESIDENT!

By Les Kinsolving
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

At today's White House news briefing, WND asked presidential press secretary Ari Fleischer about the Iraqis' holding of a female United States soldier as a prisoner of war and how it relates to the issue of women in combat.

WND: Ari, one of the U.S. POWs in Iraq is Shoshana Johnson of Texas, while The New York Times this morning reports that Pfc. Jessica Lynch of West Virginia is missing or captured. And during Desert Storm, Maj. Rhonda Cornum was captured and gang-raped, while the other U.S. female prisoner of war would neither confirm or deny that she, too, was gang-raped. And my question, does the president think that the Iraqi army has somehow changed to avoid the raping of female prisoners?

FLEISCHER: Lester –

WND: Or does he believe that it would be wise –

FLEISCHER: Lester –

WND: – to keep the women out of combat areas?

FLEISCHER: The history of our military is that men and women have served this nation honorably and with distinction. The treatment of prisoners by Saddam Hussein is the only point worth mentioning here. It's a given that men and women serve our country with dignity, that Saddam Hussein's regime had better not harm our prisoners. The president has made that clear. … Lester, no follow-up.

The Washington Times reported yesterday that Johnson was the first U.S. female held as a POW since the Clinton administration's military leaders repealed a rule barring servicewomen from positions with a high risk of encountering enemy fire or capture.

"It's bad when a man is captured. But if a woman is captured, she doesn't have the same chance [to defend herself] that a man does," Elaine Donnelly, president of the Military Readiness Center, told the paper.

Said retired Army Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis, "You must consider that women in every society are preyed upon if they are overtaken. ... Now that women are closer to the front lines, they are more subject to becoming captives and being manipulated."

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Les Kinsolving is WorldNetDaily’s White House correspondent and a talk-show host for WCBM in Baltimore.

[JusPasenThru]

Paula Kahn ain't ugly. She also knows how to play the cello.

[Terabitten]

I met COL Cornum in June 2001. She was the commander of Task Force Med Eagle in Bosnia-Hercegovina. When I met her, she was the guest speaker at an anti-terrorism class I was taking.

Someone asked COL Cornum if she'd been raped. She said, in a very matter of fact voice, "Yes. I was raped. However, I decided early in my captivity that if it didn't make me dead, or if it didn't make me stay there longer, then it didn't matter. Being raped didn't make me dead, and it didn't make me stay there longer. Therefore, it was unimportant."

I'm an infantry officer. I'd serve under COL Rhonda Cornum any time. She has my undivided, absolute respect.

[Illbay]

I don't like WND. Their stories completely fit their bias. They don't even pretend to get the facts.

They're just like Salon.

[CyberCowboy777]

We are talking about different evidence..

We KNOW that men are protective of women (something to do with being raised by a women - suckling at the breast of your mother does that).

We know that women think and react differently to stress, danger and death. (not poorly, just differently)

We know women have a different type of loyalty, expressed differently.

What we DO NOT know is how much of an effect that has on the mission, the home front and the other soldiers (even other women).

And because it is not necessary to have the women in forward positions why risk the unknown? I am NOT for the potential limitations of our troops.

[discostu]

Nobody knew that manuever based warfare would cost fewer lives until the Civil War either. Until one general finally got sick of war in a meat grinder. Europe didn't listen, they trenched up for WWI and wasted thousands upon thousand of lives fighting the old way, then we showed up and manuevered all over the place.

We know it would be different, but different is not equal to bad. You ARE for the potential limitations of our troops because you are AGAINST making potentially helpful changes.

[CyberCowboy777]

Actually you will notice that the Americans in the Revolutionary war did not battle entirely in the lined - small battle field formations.

Also the Mongolians fought in a non formal battle, I am sure there are others.

Changes happen - and can be good - if they are conducive with the human element or if the human element can be managed. The question - and the reason we do not run women in front line infantry positions - is that human element.

Do you know why women pilots are less of a negative impact on troop mentality?

[Proud2BAmerican]

They're discussing letting women in the NFL RIGHT NOW. They're having to because so many college teams are letting them be kickers. It's coming. I know you wont be man enough to apologize when the NFL proves you horribly worng though.

Who's "they"? And can you qualify "so many college teams"? I didn't know that there were so many of them out there.

[CyberCowboy777]

on a lighter side - and more important than our opinions ;~)

Support our troops, help MOA send a USO care package!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/876776/posts

[labusiness]

I would like to reiterate your comment about Arab countries...

"(Arabs) rape their MALE prisoners as well as their female ones."

Being disgraced, humiliated and vulnerable in front of your fellow soldiers and filmed for future enjoyment is the lowest. Look, it is a fact about these sub-human bastards... so much so, that even in the epic film, "Lawrence of Arabia," the rape of Sir Lawrence is accounted.

[Proud2BAmerican]

I see.

[William Terrell]

Ok, let's take the whole force into account.

Tell me, then. Why go scratching around in the watermelon patch for the occasional volunteer strawberry? Why not stick with the strawberry patch? To indulge the few individuals while just possibly putting the whole force into jepardy thereby?

[FirstTomato]

I think Les Kinsolving asked a perfectly legitimate question.

Its a subject that needs to be addressed. Women have caused all sorts of problems in the military, and therefore pose a danger to the security of the USA.

[William Terrell]

Sorry Cowboy, I hit the wrong post. Bad aim.

[William Terrell]

Before we continue, I'd like to know if you're male or female. I'm male.

[FreeReign]

And my question, does the president think that the Iraqi army has somehow changed to avoid the raping of female prisoners? Or does he believe that it would be wise....to keep the women out of combat areas?

Les Kinsolving's above question implies that females who wish to be a part of combat need to be protected from themselves.

Les Kinsolving's above question avoids the important question about standardized tests.

Is he a Liberal?

It would be wise to let a female determine for herself if she wants to risk the dangers of war. However, normalized tests are BS -- the standards should not be lowered.

[CyberCowboy777]

np

sounds like we agree

not a individual matter - big picture!

[FreeReign]

Rape of POWs 'not worth mentioning'

This headline is misleading. Only a liberal would do such.

[Illbay]

But he's not talking about "women," he's talking about SPECIFIC women.

[AAABEST]

OK sir, that one single statement by one single lady would have you undertake a disasterous, illogical policy (women in combat) that would probably see more of your men dead and more of your women raped.

You're the type of officer we used to grab the map from and have sit in the back of the humvee where you belong.

[discostu]

There's a loaded question, since it hasn't been proven that any woman is a troop mentality.