Deploring Abuse of Persons in United States Custody in Iraq

DEPLORING ABUSE OF PERSONS IN UNITED STATES CUSTODY IN IRAQ -- (House of Representatives - May 06, 2004)

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Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 627, a resolution condemning the abuse of Iraqi prisoners, however I do so with great concern. The mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners by members of the Armed Forces and civilian U.S. contractors is shameful and inexcusable. I am outraged that these actions committed by a few reflect negatively upon our Nation and the many men and women who continue to serve our Nation with strength, honor and courage. We must investigate these allegations and take immediate and decisive action to reestablish our Nation's credibility and regain the trust of the Iraqi people and the world community.

I support provisions of this resolution that deplore and condemn these events and urge the Department of Defense to investigate every report of mistreatment of all prisoners in the custody of the U.S. military at all levels and locations including Guantanamo and Afghanistan. We have a breakdown in the chain of command at the highest level.

We must require heightened accountability of the senior leadership at the Department of Defense and determine why there was an intelligence breakdown. We need to know when Secretary Rumsfeld learned of these events, why he did not take immediate action and why he did not make this information available to Congress in a timely way. Above all, we must ensure that events like these never occur again.

Throughout our history, the United States has been a leader throughout the world and a strong voice for the principles of democracy, freedom, human rights and justice. The tragic events we are addressing today have jeopardized our credibility and our relationships with the people of Iraq and the international community. In his thoughtful column in Today's New York Times, Thomas Friedman writes, "I have never known a time in my life when America and its President were more hated around the world than today." It is our responsibility to restore our Nation's credibility, and I urge my colleagues to investigate these shocking allegations. I conclude by joining with other thoughtful individuals in calling upon the Secretary of Defense to take full responsibility for these human rights atrocities and fundamental breakdown in command and to act honorably and resign.

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, the acts of abuse against Iraqi prisoners by American service members are abhorrent and sad. This is not behavior reflective of American values; it is not behavior that helps our cause, and it is not behavior that will be tolerated. Thorough investigations need to root out those responsible, directly and indirectly, for this unlawful conduct no matter how high up the chain of command it goes. Those responsible must be held accountable for their actions.

Congress needs to be highly involved in investigating the actions of abuse at Abu Ghraib prison and the conditions and circumstances that led to these abuses. Reports show that the military was well aware of the situation and conducting its own investigations for months prior to the release of the photos at Abu Ghraib now circulating through the world media. The failure of the Administration to keep Congress informed of the extent and seriousness of prisoner abuse, and the photos documenting it, is unacceptable.

Further, Congress must address and investigate the role of private security forces in Iraq. These forces, which constitute the second largest army in Iraq and account for over 40 percent of all contracting costs in Iraq, are outside the U.S. chain of command. The ability to hold these individuals accountable for their actions under law is questionable.

We must not lose focus, however, that the over 300,000 U.S. military personnel who have served and are serving in Iraq are doing an honorable job under difficult and dangerous conditions. While the Department of Defense investigation into the actions and conduct of the abuses at Abu Ghraib list a number of officers and enlisted personnel who failed to perform their duties as required, it also notes a number of officers and enlisted personnel who acted honorably and reported abuses up the chain of command. When I visited Iraq in October, 2003, I met with many honorable troops, including soldiers from western Wisconsin, who were performing their mission with outstanding commitment and professionalism. The abuses at Abu Ghraib serve only to cloud the accomplishments and sacrifices of our troops and put honorable U.S. service members in greater danger.

Mr. Speaker, perception matters when trying to execute our foreign policy and especially a military mission. We are dangerously losing the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people and the rest of the Arab world, and the abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison serve only to exacerbate this unfortunate reality. We must reinforce to the international community through our words and our actions that the United States is committed to helping the Iraqi people prosper in a free society.

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