Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
May 6, 2004
12:20 P.M. EDTQ Does the President take any responsibility for what happened at Abu Ghraib? And as the Commander-in-Chief, or as the President of the United States, is he responsible? It was on his watch.
MR. McCLELLAN: Helen, the people who are responsible need to be held accountable. That's what the President believes. This --
Q Does he think he's responsible?
MR. McCLELLAN: The actions of a few do not represent our United States military. Our United States military is committed to adhering to the highest standards of conduct, and they're committed to adhering to our international obligations in treating prisoners --
Q We didn't abide by our international --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- and treating prisoners humanely. And the vast majority of our men and women in the military are upholding those standards of conduct. And we appreciate --
Q He doesn't take any responsibility, is that what you're saying?
MR. McCLELLAN: The people who are responsible for this need to be held accountable. That's what the President believes -- because what they did does harm what we are working to achieve, and it does not represent what America stands for, and it does not represent what the United States military stands for. And that's why when these allegations came to light, the Pentagon and the military took strong steps to address it and hold people responsible and correct this, correct any problems that many exist. And the President wants to continue to receive updates about these investigations going forward, and that's what he expects.
President Bush, Jordanian King Discuss Iraq, Middle East
May 6, 2004
2:03 P.M. EDTPRESIDENT BUSH: […]
We also talked about what has been on the TV screens recently, not only in our own country, but overseas -- the images of cruelty and humiliation. I told His Majesty as plainly as I could that the wrongdoers will be brought to justice, and that the actions of those folks in Iraq do not represent the values of the United States of America.
I told him I was sorry for the humiliation suffered by the Iraqi prisoners, and the humiliation suffered by their families. I told him I was equally sorry that people who have been seeing those pictures didn't understand the true nature and heart of America. I assured him Americans, like me, didn't appreciate what we saw, that it made us sick to our stomachs. I also made it clear to His Majesty that the troops we have in Iraq, who are there for security and peace and freedom, are the finest of the fine, fantastic United States citizens, who represent the very best qualities of America: courage, love of freedom, compassion, and decency.
[…]
Q … Should [Secretary Rumsfeld] keep his job?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Secretary Rumsfeld is a really good Secretary of Defense….
[…]
The acts were abhorrent, Steve. They sickened my stomach. I know they sickened yours, too. You're a decent American. Any decent soul doesn't want a human being treated that way. And it is -- it's a stain on our country's honor and our country's reputation. I full understand that. And that's why it's important that justice be done.
But it's also important for people -- and I explained this to His Majesty, and I think he understands this -- that the actions of the people in that prison do not reflect the nature of the men and women who wear our uniform. We've got brave souls in Iraq, sacrificing so that somebody can be free. And helping that -- the Iraqi citizens be free, it helps America be more secure. There are thousands of acts of kindness and decency taking place every day in Iraq, because our soldiers, our men and women in uniform, are honorable, decent, loving people.
And we'll find out the truth. We'll take a good look at the whole system to determine -- to make sure this doesn't happen again. But I am -- I am -- I am sickened by what I saw, and sickened that somebody gets the wrong impression of people who are serving this country and this world with such dignity.
We’ve got it! Decent Americans wouldn’t commit such abhorrent acts. Therefore, the soldiers involved aren’t decent Americans and THUS they must be enemies of freedom and democracy! QED!!
It’s good that Bush is sickened by what he saw in the pictures from Iraq. However, he apparently is sickened only enough to apologize to the King of Jordan, and not to the Iraqi people themselves. We wouldn’t want them to get the wrong impression about the Americans “who are serving this country and this world with such dignity.”
If only Bush would serve this country and this world with dignity….
Take responsibility? Who me? But I'm a really good President.
Finally, there is this: if soldiers and contractors at the Abu Gharib prison felt comfortable enough to take pictures of themselves giving the thumbs up to naked and prostrated Iraqis, of Iraqis who had clearly been beaten to death and of a naked Iraqi on a leash, imagine the abuses which must have occurred that they didn’t feel comfortable documenting. And imagine what a very big and shameful problem we have on our hands.
