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Bush calls for ‘universal condemnation’ of human rights abuses
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CAMP DAVID, Md. (Map, News) - President Bush said Friday that while America should be held accountable for the behavior of U.S. troops at Haditha and Abu Ghraib, the real abusers of human rights are terrorists.
“You talked about human rights abuses,” Bush told a Danish journalist at a press conference with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. “And we definitely need to be held to account -- but the world needs to hold to account terrorists for civil rights abuses, too.”
The reporter had asked Bush about Haditha, the Iraq town where Marines are accused of killing civilians, as well as prisons in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where U.S. troops have been accused of mistreatment.
“No question, we ought to be concerned about what the United States does,” Bush said. “But I expect the free world, as well, to unite in condemnation of terrorist activities around the world.
“See, there ought to be a universal condemnation. We ought not to excuse that kind of behavior.”
Rasmussen made a point of reminding Bush of allegations against U.S. troops.
“When unacceptable events happen in Abu Ghraib, and when allegations are made about horrific events in Haditha, it is not only a tragedy for the victims, it is damaging to our own efforts and an offense to our very own values,” he said.
Bush has pledged to punish wrongdoers in the Haditha case and the U.S. military has already punished troops who abused prisoners at Abu Ghraib.
“Humans make mistakes, but there needs to be accountability,” Bush said. “These incidents run contrary to what we believe.”
Asked about his relatively cautious reaction to the death of al-Qaida terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi on Wednesday, Bush made clear he is happy about the development.
“Let me make sure everybody understands: I’m thrilled that Zarqawi was brought to justice,” he said. “They’ve lost their general. They’ve lost the person that the top management of al-Qaida was counting on.”
He added: “It’s a big deal, but it’s certainly not the end of conflict.”
Bush expressed exasperation that it took so long for some good news out of Iraq.
“The problem we have in this war is that all they’ve got to do is kill some innocent people by a car bomb, and it looks like they’re winning,” he said. “It takes a major event like an election or the death of Zarqawi to understand that we’re making progress.”
bsammon@dcexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
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Examiner Reader said:
So once again we are being lied to AMNESTY, hell no. these bastard politians have sold out our country. I personally feel that they are traitors. Who the hell are they to be getting amnesty, everyone else came here the right way. WE DO NOT NEED THE ILLEGALS.
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Examiner Reader said:
you wrote, "On May 1, 2003, the term “Navy One” was employed for the first time when Bush helped pilot a Navy plane onto an aircraft carrier for a victory speech about Iraq. Democrats later accused him of prematurely declaring an end to major combat operations." In fact, Bush HIMSELF said, "major combat operations in Iraq have ended."
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