[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 53 (Wednesday, April 2, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H2589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONCERNING IRAQ'S TREATMENT OF AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR

  (Mr. RYUN of Kansas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RYUN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, it is said that you can judge a 
government by the way it treats the weak. In recent days we have all 
seen the images of American GIs holding Iraqi children, rushing them 
out of harm's way. We currently hold thousands of Iraqi prisoners of 
war. We are treating them humanely, giving them food and water. We will 
openly welcome the International Red Cross to monitor the health and 
well-being of these prisoners. We demand nothing less from the Iraqi 
regime in its treatment of our seven American POWs.
  Looking back to the first Gulf War, we remember that our POWs were 
subject to mock executions, beatings and public humiliation. Let the 
Iraqi military be warned: America will hold those responsible who 
mistreat any American service man or woman regardless of the orders 
they may have received from above.

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