[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 84 (Wednesday, June 22, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6979-S6980]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 ASSISTANT DEMOCRATIC LEADER'S APOLOGY

  Mr. FRIST. Last night, we all listened to the statement of the 
assistant Democratic leader in which he addressed comments made a week 
ago that had equated our U.S. military actions in Guantanamo to Nazi 
death camps, Soviet gulags, and Pol Pot's killing fields. My colleagues 
and I had urged the Senator to issue a formal apology and to strike his 
remarks from the Record. We asked his fellow Democrats to denounce his 
remarks or at least to distance themselves from those remarks.
  Last night, he apologized. We appreciate that and we respect that. It 
was the right thing to do. It was the right thing to do for this body 
and I believe for our troops overseas. Why? Because over the course of 
the day's proceeding of the apology, damage was being done. Intended or 
not, damage was being done. It was being done by giving voices at Al 
Jazeera more cause to gleefully repeat those charges around the world. 
We believe damage was being done to our men and women in uniform, not 
intended but the damage was being done.
  With our troops in harm's way all around the globe and in an era 
where information flashes literally in seconds from one side of the 
world to the other, we all must be careful about what we say and how we 
say it. If what we say is not intended, then we need to correct it 
early on. It is a lesson we all

[[Page S6980]]

learn over and over again. I have certainly made my share of verbal 
mistakes and missteps over the years.
  So last night's statement from Senator Durbin both honored our troops 
and recognized the sacrifices of those who lived and died under the 
grim systems of Nazi terror, of Soviet repression, and Cambodian 
genocide. That is right, fine, and worthy. Senator Durbin took an 
honorable step yesterday afternoon. I look forward to working with our 
colleague from Illinois as we move forward in the days and weeks ahead.

  I yield the floor.

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