Zell Miller, United States Senator from Georgia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Miller: Finger-pointing, Apologies
Over Prisoner Treatment Only Boost Enemy
"I Refuse to Join In National Act of Contrition'
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Zell Miller (D-GA) today delivered the
following statement on the floor of the United States Senate addressing the
situation at the Abu Ghraib prison.
"Mr. President, here we go again, here we go again. Rushing to give
aid
and comfort to the enemy. Pushing and pulling and shoving and leaping over
one
another to assign blame and point the finger at America the Terrible. Lining
up in long lines at the microphones to offer apologies to those poor,
pitiful
Iraqi prisoners.
"Of course, I do not condone all the things that went on in that
prison,
but I for one, Mr. President, refuse to join in this national Act of
Contrition over it.
"Those who are wringing their hands and shouting so loudly for "heads
to
roll" over this seem to have conveniently overlooked the fact that someone's
head HAS rolled - that of another innocent American brutally murdered by
terrorists.
"Why is it? Why is it that there's more indignation over a photo of a
prisoner with underwear on his head than over the video of a young American
with no head at all? Why is it that some in this country still don't get
that
we are at war? A war against terrorists who are plotting to kill us every
day.
Terrorists who will murder Americans at any time any place any chance they
get.
"And yet here we are, America on its knees, in front of our enemy,
begging for their forgiveness over the mistreatment of prisoners. Showing
the
enemy and the world once again how easily America can get sidetracked and
how
easily America can turn against it self.
"Yes, some of our soldiers went too far with their interrogation
tactics
and clearly were not properly trained to handle such duty. But the way to
deal
with this is with swift and sure punishment, and immediate and better
training. There also needs to be more careful screening of who it is we put
in
these kinds of sensitive situations.
"And no one wants to hear this, Mr. President and I'm reluctant to say
it. But there should also be some serious questioning of having male and
female soldiers serving side by side in these kinds of military missions.
"But instead, I worry that the HWA - the Hand-Wringers of America -
will
add to their membership and continue to bash our country ad nauseam. And in
doing so, hand over more innocent Americans to the enemy on a silver
platter.
"So I stand with Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma, who stated that he's
"more
outraged by the outrage" than by the treatment of those prisoners. More
outraged by the outrage. It's a good way of putting it. That's exactly how
this Senator from Georgia feels."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Miller: Finger-pointing, Apologies
Over Prisoner Treatment Only Boost Enemy
"I Refuse to Join In National Act of Contrition'
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Zell Miller (D-GA) today delivered the
following statement on the floor of the United States Senate addressing the
situation at the Abu Ghraib prison.
"Mr. President, here we go again, here we go again. Rushing to give
aid
and comfort to the enemy. Pushing and pulling and shoving and leaping over
one
another to assign blame and point the finger at America the Terrible. Lining
up in long lines at the microphones to offer apologies to those poor,
pitiful
Iraqi prisoners.
"Of course, I do not condone all the things that went on in that
prison,
but I for one, Mr. President, refuse to join in this national Act of
Contrition over it.
"Those who are wringing their hands and shouting so loudly for "heads
to
roll" over this seem to have conveniently overlooked the fact that someone's
head HAS rolled - that of another innocent American brutally murdered by
terrorists.
"Why is it? Why is it that there's more indignation over a photo of a
prisoner with underwear on his head than over the video of a young American
with no head at all? Why is it that some in this country still don't get
that
we are at war? A war against terrorists who are plotting to kill us every
day.
Terrorists who will murder Americans at any time any place any chance they
get.
"And yet here we are, America on its knees, in front of our enemy,
begging for their forgiveness over the mistreatment of prisoners. Showing
the
enemy and the world once again how easily America can get sidetracked and
how
easily America can turn against it self.
"Yes, some of our soldiers went too far with their interrogation
tactics
and clearly were not properly trained to handle such duty. But the way to
deal
with this is with swift and sure punishment, and immediate and better
training. There also needs to be more careful screening of who it is we put
in
these kinds of sensitive situations.
"And no one wants to hear this, Mr. President and I'm reluctant to say
it. But there should also be some serious questioning of having male and
female soldiers serving side by side in these kinds of military missions.
"But instead, I worry that the HWA - the Hand-Wringers of America -
will
add to their membership and continue to bash our country ad nauseam. And in
doing so, hand over more innocent Americans to the enemy on a silver
platter.
"So I stand with Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma, who stated that he's
"more
outraged by the outrage" than by the treatment of those prisoners. More
outraged by the outrage. It's a good way of putting it. That's exactly how
this Senator from Georgia feels."
