Kerry: Peace Corps Can Help Heal Iraqi Abuse Damage

Yahoo! News ^ | 5/8/04 | Patricia Wilson - Reuters

[NormsRevenge]

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) -

Idealistic Americans can help heal the damage from the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq (news - web sites) by serving on the international aid frontlines with the Peace Corps, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) said on Saturday.

In a commencement address at historically black Southern University in New Orleans, the decorated Vietnam veteran, who came back to the United States an anti-war activist, asked 670 graduates to reject "the cynicism that says you can't make a difference."

"In the last days we've all seen photos of horrific abuses in an Iraqi prison that do a disservice to the courageous efforts of over 100,000 American soldiers," Kerry said. "Those abuses have done enormous damage to our country."

The four-term senator from Massachusetts, who voted for the Iraq war but against $87 billion for operations there and in Afghanistan (news - web sites), said the U.S. soldiers' treatment of Iraqis at Abu Ghraib prison had harmed U.S. objectives and empowered those who find fault with the United States.

"It requires us to work even harder to present who we really are, and if you choose to, you can help to do that," Kerry said. "The Peace Corps is the most powerful symbol of non-military service in our history."

The presumptive Democratic nominee and Republican President Bush (news - web sites) have both called for expanding the Peace Corps, an enduring legacy of another senator from Massachusetts, former President John F. Kennedy.

In his 2005 budget, Bush asked Congress for $401 million for the Peace Corps, up from its current $300 million.

More than 7,000 Americans now serve in the Peace Corps, according to its Web Site. They work in 71 countries in projects related to agriculture, health, information technology, business development, the environment and education.

"If there was ever a time when everyday people in the most deprived countries, cities and villages of the world need to see idealistic Americans working to help them, it is today, when we are engaged in a struggle to win the hearts and minds of people everywhere," Kerry said.

The uproar that has followed the release of photographs of U.S. soldiers humiliating naked Iraqi prisoners requires Americans to work even harder "to present who we really are," he told the graduates.

Kerry has called for Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to resign and for Bush, as commander in chief, to demand accountability and take full responsibility.

In a speech that focused on values and opportunity, Kerry acknowledged the reluctance of many young people to enter public service, but said he was convinced that could be turned around.

"I know that many of you may be skeptical, and I don't blame you," he said. "It's hard to find faith and answer the call of citizenship and service when you believe today's call to arms may be tomorrow's broken promise."

At least one of Kerry's own proposals to encourage young Americans to make a difference -- a $3.5 billion "service-for-college" initiative that would offer students the equivalent of their state's four-year public college tuition in exchange for two years of service -- will be scaled back because of the ballooning federal budget deficit.

[ysoitanly]

I hope (and know they're not) the Kerry campaign is as embarrassed as the rest of us when we hear his 'solutions' or 'suggestions'. This is a joke. I wonder how much gold a 'peace corps' volunteer will be worth for his/her death. And if that's not enough, there will be more pictures of the 'atrocities' in the prisons released next week. Panties on the head vs. incinerated and hanged bodies just don't equal out, folks. The left doesn't know how to put things in context or reach the REAL American people. The ABB crowd is failing, and more pictures will add to the failure.

[Sacajaweau]

Don't worry.

I'm sure anybody thinking about the Peace Corps is saying: If I'm going to volunteer for Iraq, I'm going to ride around on a Bradley with a rifle at my side not on a donkey with a straw switch in hand. Does Kerry think we're stupid?

[Anti-Bush Hater]

John Kerry is doing his JFK impression again.
He even has his lying worshippers come on freerepublic and post these staged photos. Reminds me of Jack and John on the beach and Jackie putting on that fake smile. But we never got to see Jack snorting cocaine and double-teaming Maryilan Monroe with Robert on top of Mcnamara's head.

[ARCADIA]

To the average Iraqi, the peace corps is just another wing of the CIA. These idiots wouldn't last out the day. Has anyone ever questioned Kerry's sanity? What's he poping these days?

[Keith]

You took the words right out of my mouth...

The guys they hung from the bridges were ferrying food to these morons...

Perhaps he was misquoted and meant the Pieces Corpse...

[johnb838]

You know, I can just barely remember when it was not "OK" to be disloyal to this country who's citizenship alone confers on its people a status unequaled to any other, much like being a Roman Citizen in ancient times.

Can we ever get back to that place? To where we really are strong and steadfast against those who would tear us down? Or are we doomed to continue to gradually fade from the scene under the weight of the third world pressing in on us from all sides like the sea. It is so tiring to have to contend with the entire third world.

[Becki]

Idealistic Americans can help heal the damage from the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq (news - web sites) by serving on the international aid frontlines with the Peace Corps, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) said on Saturday.

Cool. Send a bunch of civilians over there. Then the terrorists could have their pick of hostages.

Or better yet, they could be human shields, screaming at our nasty occupying troups.

Don't worry about the loud POP you hear. It's just Kerry pulling his head out of his a**.

Becki

[texasflower]

Can anyone point to one single thing he has said that is not completely stupid?

I can't think of anything. This one rates right up at the top of the stupid pile.

[BIGZ]

More easy hostages for these animals, will Kerry, Fonda, and their ilk never understand, you can't converse logically with illogical people, for the most part these terrorists are insane, there is no dialog that they will accept.

Torture my wazoo!I know of men who would pay to have a gal lead them around on a leash. The torture recommended should be, have a pigs chingus mingus put where the sun don't shine. You have to treat animals like animals, it is all they understand.

The Slime balls have forgotten 911, Food for Oil, Rwanda, Haiti, Crime deaths in the inner US cities,on and on, in their quest to bash Bush.

Peace corps in Iraq, just how out of touch with reality can on be.

[jpp113]

Meanwhile in Liberal Bizarro World (2005):
Kerry has called for Secretary of Defense Al Zawahiri to resign and for himself, as commander in chief, to demand accountability and take full responsibility for the warcrimes and atrocities that he, himself, has admitted to.

[bootyist-monk]

Question for Kerry and all of his liberal moron friends:

What happened to those prisoners was a form of coercion. They were combatants fighting against our forces. If they gave information that saved American Servicemen and Servicewomen’s lives because of what they were “forced to endure”, was what happened still wrong?

[armymarinemom]

The next statement from this idiots mouth is that we should probably invite Oshama over for tea.

[Brasil]

Lord luv a duck.

How can anyone take seriously, this pointy head with the pointy fingers.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Oh gee thanks. Just when I'm getting nagged about dinner, I see the ultimate appetite killer. BAH! Lol, someone should show Ted how to look convincing when reading the local fish wrap >:-D

[BOOTSTICK]

Abuse?, what Abuse?

[TheSpottedOwl]

Kerry is an idiot. Who knows what he's popping besides Theresa. These are just more worthless platitudes leaking out of his mouth.

[Condor51]

Peace Corps volunteer at work in Iraq:

/semi-sarcasm off

[Ciexyz]

ohmygawd, it's the 1960's again! Let's thumb our noses at the military industrial establishment and rush down to join the Peace Corps!

Kerry is soooooooo 60's retro!

[ARCADIA]

Kerry is soooooooo 60's retro!

He is more like a fossilized remnant of the 60s. 35 years of subsequent life experience has failed to move his opinions at all. In his mind it is permanently 1970 and the Vietnam War will forever be fought and debated. It is as close as the real world comes to producing a Rip Van Winkle.

[highlander_UW]

Stupid idea. The next pictures we'd see are the bodies of Peace corps volunteers hanging from bridges.

Exactly, if the UN fled Iraq after one bombing after they declined help for protection, what makes Kerry think Peace Corps volunteers are going to be any safer?