[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 21, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H4808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SENATOR DURBIN'S COMMENTS

  (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, Senator Durbin spoke 
for millions of Americans who are horrified and shocked about the 
treatment, the mistreatment of prisoners who have not been given the 
right to be notified of where they are, prisoners who were hung by 
their arms, who reported homicides, the scandals and the cover-ups.
  Yes, these are dangerous people that are in these prisons. Many of 
them may be guilty of very serious crimes. But the fact of the matter 
is America cannot be a beacon for freedom and justice and liberty when 
it is doing it by abusing prisoners.
  As Senator Durbin said, if you have read these without knowing the 
country, you would be horrified because these are the practices that 
are associated with dictatorships and countries without the rule of law 
and countries of repression. The fact of the matter is, this 
administration should have an independent investigation of the 
treatment of prisoners in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. They should 
do it immediately so that we do not continue to have these incidents 
become magnets for the recruitment of the insurgents.
  If somebody is worried about our troops, maybe the Republicans and 
the President could apologize for sending them into battle without body 
armor, for sending them into battle without sufficient numbers to 
protect them, to send them in battle without properly armed Humvees, 
because that is what causes parents to grieve for the loss of their 
lives.

                          ____________________