[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 62 (Thursday, May 6, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4944-S4945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     ABUSES AGAINST IRAQI PRISONERS

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, this is a troubling time in America. 
Yesterday I spoke on this Senate floor about the despicable abuses 
perpetrated against Iraqi prisoners. The damage done to every American 
and to the reputation of our great Nation as a whole as a result of 
these barbaric acts is incalculable. It has severely tarnished our 
image as a nation of laws, a nation that for more than two centuries 
has been a beacon of hope for oppressed people around the world.
  Every day, quite rightly, we pride ourselves on our Constitution and 
our Bill of Rights. After all, they were the template for the universal 
declaration of human rights. We often criticize other nations for 
violating those rights, for engaging in torture and other crimes, and 
it is right that we do. We should speak out when human rights and 
liberties are violated whenever and wherever it occurs.
  But today we see our own faces in the mirror. Until recently, it was 
beyond our ability to contemplate that we would become the subject of 
such universal ridicule and scorn for the actions of a handful.
  The reputation of our Armed Forces, certainly since the First World 
War, has deservedly been the finest in the world. As the father of a 
former marine, I can attest that the training of our troops and the 
outstanding performance of the vast majority of them should make every 
American proud. They conduct themselves professionally. They treat 
others with respect. They perform bravely. And 138,000 men and women 
are courageously wearing America's uniform in Iraq today. Now they are 
endangered there and around the world.
  At the heart of this problem is a failure of leadership, not 
``followship.'' We have heard from the Secretary of Defense. He was 
appalled by what happened, so appalled that he did not bother to read 
the report that described the horrific conditions at Abu Ghraib prison 
even though he had been aware of the concerns for months; so appalled 
he forgot that it was he who decided, apparently on his own, that the 
U.S. military would no longer be bound by the Geneva Conventions, an 
astounding decision when one considers its implication; so appalled 
that his Department has treated those of us who have asked questions 
and sought information about the interrogation practices at U.S. 
military detention facilities after reports of torture and even 
homicide as a nuisance; so appalled that for days he treated this whole 
episode as though he could not quite grasp what all the fuss was about. 
After all, these are terrorists, and we are fighting a war.
  I have known Secretary Rumsfeld for 30 years. I like him. He is 
highly intelligent. He has served his country with great devotion. But 
I believe that he and the Deputy Secretary bear ultimate responsibility 
for this catastrophe.
  The post-war chaos in Iraq that has resulted from such miserably poor 
planning--and so many people warned them that it was miserably poor 
planning--has claimed the lives and limbs of hundreds of America's 
troops and civilians and thousands of Iraqis, including many civilians. 
It has caused deep divisions between ourselves and the Iraqi people and 
Muslims around the world. It has so damaged our image as a nation that 
stands for respect for

[[Page S4945]]

human rights. This represents a colossal failure of leadership.
  For 2 years, we have heard that if you are not with us, you are 
against us. Who is with us now? And who was ever with us? The coalition 
the President speaks of is a mirage. It is Americans who are dying. It 
is Americans who are paying the price--another $25 billion, according 
to the President today, and that is only for the next few months. 
Another $50 billion at least will be necessary next year just for Iraq. 
That is $75 billion we do not have to pay teachers and police and 
firefighters and other needs in America.

  We have heard how the Secretary of Defense waited for months to tell 
the Congress about what was happening in that prison. When the 
photographs appeared in the press, he and the National Security 
Adviser, the President, everybody else said they were stunned and 
shocked and said these were isolated incidents. The only thing they 
could have been shocked by was that the facts became public because 
they had known about them for a very long time. That is the real 
question that should trouble each one of us: Why we thought it was OK 
to behave this way. It represents a serious flaw of character, of 
morality, of decency, of professionalism, of training. It does not 
reflect the great military of our country. It certainly does not 
reflect the values of America, and we have to ask the leaders: Why did 
you allow this shame to happen? Why did you allow America--America--to 
be shamed this way throughout the world?
  I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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