Posted on 06/21/2005 4:46:47 PM PDT by SpyderTim
DURBIN APOLOGIZES ON SENATE FLOOR FOR GUANTANAMO BAY ANALOGIES
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement on the floor of the United States Senate:
“More than most people, a Senator lives by his words, words are the coin of the realm in our profession. Occasionally words will fail us and occasionally we will fail words.”
“On June 14, I took the floor of the Senate to speak about genuine heartfelt concerns about the treatment of prisoners and detainees at Guantanamo and other places. I raised legitimate concerns that others have raised, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, about the policies of this administration and whether they truly do serve our needs to make America safer and more secure, whether, in fact, some of the policies might, in fact, endanger our troops, or in some ways disparage the image of America around the world.”
“During the course of that presentation, I read an e-mail from the Federal Bureau of Investigation that was discovered to exist last August, and has now been produced as part of the Freedom of Information Act. After reading the horrible details in that memo, which characterized the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo, I then, on my own, my own words, made some characterizations about that memo. I made reference to the Nazis, Soviets and other repressive regimes.”
“Mr. President, I have come to understand that was a very poor choice of words. I tried to make this very clear last Friday that I understood to those analogies to the Nazis, Soviets and others were poorly chosen. I issued a release which I thought made my intentions and my inner-most feeling as clear as I possibly could.”
“Let me read to you what I said. ‘I have learned from my statement that historical parallels can be misused and misunderstood. I sincerely regret if what I said causes anybody to misunderstand my true feelings. Our soldiers around the world and their families at home deserve our respect, admiration and total support.’”
“Mr. President, it is very clear that even though I thought I had said something that clarified the situation, to many people it was still unclear. I'm sorry if anything that I said caused any offense or pain to those who have such bitter memories of the Holocaust, the greatest moral tragedy of our time. Nothing, nothing should ever be said to demean or diminish that moral tragedy.”
“I'm also sorry if anything I said in any way cast a negative light on our fine men and women in the military. I went to Iraq just a few months ago with Senator Harry Reid and a bipartisan Senate delegation. When you look in the eyes of the soldiers you see your son and daughter. They are the best. I never, ever intended any disrespect for them.”
“Some may believe that my remarks crossed a line. To them, I extend my heartfelt apologies.”
“There's usually a quote from Abraham Lincoln that you can turn to in moments like this. Maybe this is the right one. Lincoln said, ‘If the end brings me out right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, 10,000 angels swearing I was right wouldn't make any difference.’”
“In the end, I don't want anything that I may have said detract from the love for my country, my respect for those who bravely risk their lives each day for our security, and this Senate which I am so honored to serve as a member. I offer my apology for those offended by my words. I promise to speak out on the issues that I think are important to the people of Illinois and to the nation.”
However (to steal a tactic of the left), he WAITED TOO LONG, so it doesn't count!
(Remember GWB and the Tsunami?)
Some apology. Get lost, Dick.
Using Abe Lincoln to try and make himself seem right while he is apologizing!
Once a scum, always a scum. Apology not accepted.
"I didn't mean to demean the members of the military...", but likening them to Stalin's, Pol Pot's and Hitler's elite butchers who killed over 50 million men women and children should not be taken out of contect. I meant it in the best possible way.
ASS---E!
Resign to oblivion! Put a fork in this jerk. He's done!
Yes, he's still keeping a hope in the future the public will recognize he was right, American soldiers are like Nazis.
Great "apology." If I offended you I apologize but if I didn't I don't because I meant every word I said and still do.
He didn't apologize for what he said. He's just saying he's sorry that we misinterpreted it. THIS IS NOT AN APOLOGY and the Republicans should turn up the heat on him. CENSURE!
That squeaking, hissing sound was a weasel apologizing too late.
Applogizing? "No, we just took it the wrong way. How unfortunate."
Democrats never own up to what they have done.
I ALMOST feel sorry for the DUmmies, they're beside themselves that their hero bent over and grabbed his ankles.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1569363
I don`t believe it. Impossible, democrats don`t suddenly get rational. I guess the LDS wore off.
Senator Whata Dick Durbin apologizes huh? Jeez, who woulda thunk it?
Now I would love for the Chairman to go public and say, the following.
"Thank you Senator Durbin, but the men and women guarding your friends at Gitmo say, Apology NOT accepted."
However (to steal a tactic of the left), he WAITED TOO LONG, so it doesn't count!
----
No it does not -- in fact, the only waiting period they have for their treasonous lies and propoganda, is long enough for the complicit MSM to print the treason. Then they apologize.
His apology should be a one-way ticket to Havana, with no return.
It's a half-step, but it's not an admission of a mistake.
I'm sure this will be the best we will get.
In my long rather abusive letter I sent to him, he forgot one thing I demanded he do if he was a real man and contrite over what he said. He was supposed to resign in good faith to show how sorry he really took his remarks as directly effecting our men and women in uniform. Al Jazerra alrady has the shit broadcasted hundreds of times around the world for ever Muslim to hear and or read.
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