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Bush Apologizes for Abuse, Backs Rumsfeld
President Bush, struggling to control a growing crisis, apologized Thursday for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers and called it "a stain on our country's honor." He rejected calls for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation but complained about Rumsfeld's handling of the controversy. "He'll stay in my Cabinet," Bush declared, a day after White House officials spread word that the president was upset at the secretary for not alerting him about damaging pictures. Some Republicans on Capitol Hill privately questioned whether Rumsfeld could survive and were angry that he had not shared information with them.
| I think he'll survive. I don't think the public associates him with this incident, only the Dems in Congress, who think they smell blood in the water... |
Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa stepped forward to call for Rumsfeld's head. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats joined in. "For the good of our country, the safety of our troops, and our image around the globe Secretary Rumsfeld should resign," Harkin said. "If he does not resign forthwith, the president should fire him." Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry also pushed for Rumsfeld's ouster. "It's the way it was handled," Kerry said. "The lack of information to the Congress, the lack of information to the country, not managing it, not dealing with it, recognizing it as an issue."
| Other than ensuring that the Army did its job which it did from December to now, you mean. |
Usually loath to acknowledge mistakes or to apologize, Bush spoke up in the Rose Garden after meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II. "I told him I was sorry for the humiliation suffered by the Iraqi prisoners and the humiliation suffered by their families," the president said. "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." Bush promised anew that "we'll find out the truth. We'll take a good look at the whole system to determine - to make sure that this doesn't happened again." Struggling for words, he said, "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."
Bush readily acknowledged that America's reputation had been damaged. "It's a stain on our country's honor and our country's reputation. I fully understand that. And that's why it's important that justice be done." Rumsfeld canceled a planned speaking engagement in Philadelphia so he could huddle in the Pentagon with top aides to prepare to testify Friday before Senate and House committees. Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, returned early from a European trip to get ready for the appearance with Rumsfeld. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., an Armed Services Committee member, reserved judgment about Rumsfeld until the hearing. Calling for the resignation now "reminds me of what they said in the old West - first they give the accused a fair hearing and then they hang him," Bayh said. "I want to wait and see what he has to say." Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said it was premature to talk about Rumsfeld's resigning. "We need everybody to just take a deep breath and get all the facts," he said. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said that "at this point in time I do not have any loss of confidence in Secretary Rumsfeld." Bush said Rumsfeld "is a really good secretary of defense. Secretary Rumsfeld has served our nation well. Secretary Rumsfeld has been the secretary during two wars. He's an important part of my Cabinet and he'll stay in my Cabinet."
| Rummy's testimony today will be the big deal. If he delivers he stays. |
Posted by: Steve White 2004-05-07 |
