McCain: Prisoner abuse hurts U.S. image

[sabra]

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/12740032.htm

McCain: Prisoner abuse hurts U.S. image

Associated Press


WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain said Sunday that abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers, alleged anew in a report and under investigation again by the Army, is hurting the nation's image abroad.

"We've got to have it stopped," McCain, R-Ariz., said on "This Week" on ABC. "I don't know if these allegations are true or not, but they have to be investigated."

Human Rights Watch issued a report Friday based on interviews with a captain and two sergeants who served in a battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division stationed at a military base near Fallujah. The report alleged that Army soldiers systematically tortured Iraqi detainees from 2003 into 2004, hitting them with baseball bats and dousing them with chemicals.

The Army says it has opened an investigation into a soldier's allegations that he witnessed and heard about widespread prisoner abuse, including torture and a beating with a baseball bat, while serving at a base in Iraq.

[Angry Girl]

1. But it doesn't hurt the prisoners, I suppose.... Dick!

That's the problems with these GOP politicians: It's all about the image, never anything more substantial than appearances....

[skooooo]

2. Damn, we better start protecting our image better!

[WCGreen]

11. Is our image protected by fundamental constitutional rights...

Cause I wanna know.....

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. man what a genius comment...you think???

[stellanoir]

4. duh

ya think. . .?

[Canuckistanian]

5. Sounds like a job for.... Captain Obvious!

[wellstone_democrat]

6. Image: the last thing I worry about in this

how about the human cost---to the victim and to the purpetrator? And by extension, to the families and communities that will "welcom" home someone whose moral compass is a bit "skewed" by having this much brutality as a daily requirement of his or her job? If you can't think of the Iraqui victims then at least have some concern for the human costs on the other side of the equation but that would require more thought than "what will the neighbors think!"

You asshole, this isn't about "image" its about humanity.

[confludemocrat]

7. Yes, we wouldn't want our spotless image besmirched

we must remain pristinely free of blame. Yes, let's investigate on the miniscule chance this could be.

[mrdmk]

8. Mr. McCain does not know if the allegations are true or not

Idiot remark, just look at the leadership of this country, are they true or not.

Answer: The leadership of this country is unreal just like the their policies, it is unreal that the leadership has the gull remove support of the Geneva Convention and wonder out loud if our troops are beating prisoners!:shrug:

[jwirr]

30. What does he mean he doesn't know if it is true? Didn't

all 50 Senators get to view all of the pictures that rummy felt so bad about?

[mrdmk]

35. This is Mr. McCain playing both ends taking his half out of the middle

Nothing more, nothing less. Pure politics's!

[adarling]

9. no shit sherlock

This guy bothers me everyday more and more, if it is such a big deal then get in there and get your hands dirty. I am so sick of seeing quotes by senators asking for things to get done when it is there job to do so, what the hell is wrong with all of them!!!:nuke:

[Kenergy]

10. No shit John...what're you doing about it? Nothing asshat. n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

12. Wow, do we have a Groupmind here or what?!!

Every thought that flashed through my mind on reading that headline got posted on this thread before I got here. There are moments when hanging out on DU is like listening to yourself mumbling into your beer. :grouphug:

[powwowdancer]

21. Truly!

The only thing that I didn't think was "ASSHAT," and I sincerely regret it. I've got to add that to my list of completely evil, ear-blistering Naval vernacular. Ass hat... God I love you people.

:dem:
powwowdancer out

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

13. I think it's time to start looking at John McCain for...

More signs of senile dementia, because I regard this as the first sign.

"Our Image" indeed.

Somethings are more important than "Our Image" John, like doing the right thing and not torturing people. Asshat.

[The Stranger]

14. Isnt it interesting how the statements are not that torture is wrong --

but only that it hurts the U.S. image, usually in "the Arab World." Violating international law is not what's wrong, only "the hearts and minds" of the Arabs and Muslims, (who not conicidentally are usually the victims of the international law violations).

[Cocoa]

15. so how did he respond to the Captain?

the Captain that spoke with Human Rights Watch went to GOP Senators first, including McCain.

What did McCain do then, before this became public?

[ignatius 2]

16. John,John,John so very many things hurt the

U S image like the Chimp whose ass you are always kissing and like the war based on lies that you are always touting, come on let's hear what say ye about those things as well.

BTW, it is always about the fucking image. What about the lives and the families of those we have tortured,maimed and killed? Doesn't that need to be investigated and stopped?

[Greeby]

17. This just in

Water is wet

Developing

:sarcasm:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

18. Being more concerned about U.S. image than abused prisoners hurts McCain

....or at least his image.

I find my respect for the man diminishes with each passing day. :thumbsdown:

[despairing optimist]

19. Well, senator, selling out to Charles Keating hurt your image,

and what did you do to change it besides co-sponsor a campaign-finance reform bill that's nothing but image itself? That's the problem today: too many people at the highest levels of our government thinking that image and empty gestures suffice instead of genuine action based on logic and sincere convictions. Manipulating images may be all the rage in a semiotics class, but human beings who are suffering deserve more than image makeovers.

We'll sort of miss your pleasant demeanor when you're back home in the Painted Desert or wherever you hang out, but then maybe we won't. In any event, have a good time creating whatever images you like in your free time, which you'll have more of in good time if we're all lucky. If they're good images, I'll look forward to the gallery show.

[OneGrassRoot]

20. Years ago I actually respected McCain...........

now I can't stand to look at him, listen to him or read about him. He's become the ultimate kiss-ass.....and he is trying to cater to everyone, so he's kissin' lotsa ass......schmuck. :grr:

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

22. What do they* have on him?

Of all people, John McCain must know what these prisoners are suffering. Why does he continue to appear supportive of these bastards? Why does he allow himself to be seen with _bush?

What do they have on him?

* you know who I mean.

[adigal]

23. Oh, McCain, who supports torture, is whining now???

When he voted for Gonzales, i called his office and said, "So McCain supports torture." I repeated it a number of times, and the office person was getting really pissed at me. I said, "Just tell him now that we on the blogs all now realize that McCain supports torture."

They were not happy, I can tell you that. Still, he is being a real big hypocrite here, whining about how we look (how about not doing it because it is morally wrong??? Duh.) while he promoted the architect of the torture, Gonzales.

[osaMABUSh]

24. NSS

No Shit Sherlock

[Minstrel Boy]

25. Yes, let's not forget about the real victim in all of this:

American prestige. :sarcasm:

[Solly Mack]

26. Better get Karen Hughes right on that! She'll turn that image around.

McCain's an idiot.(and a hypocrite...and a liar)

Bush regime sanctions and supports torture
McCain supports Torture Czar Gonzales but now thinks torture is bad for America's image
and Karen Hughes, the supreme bush bot, hopes to repair America's image


We live in La-La Land.

[freethought]

27. Gee, Ya think! n/t

[rosesaylavee]

28. Ya think? Then McCain shouldn't be hugging and feeding the

a**hole who gave them permission to do so. McCain needs to lose his job too.

[jwirr]

29. Of course it does, you would have thought that those

bushie idiots would have realized what they were doing without being told. Every high school child in the USA is taught about the atrocities of WWII and can realize that abuse in any form or intensity is wrong. That is the lesson of the holocaust. But I don't think repugs believe any of these lessons so they are doomed to repeat them.

[pinniped]

31. Nothing Karen what's-her-face can't fix. Monster Fix-it to the rescue.

I think the image problems go much beyond prisoner abuse.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

32. endorsing bush hurts mccain's image

maverick straight-talker, my ass!

don't buy johnny's attempt to distinguish himself from the rw pack. he's one of them and is of no use to mainstream america.

[0007]

33. Tis easy to see why McCain was shot down.

He couldn't learn to fly.

[cassiepriam]

34. Duh. And it may even start WWIII....

it will create many enemies with very long memories...

[tyedyeto]

36. Where's McCain been? True or not?

"We've got to have it stopped," McCain, R-Ariz., said on "This Week" on ABC. "I don't know if these allegations are true or not, but they have to be investigated."

Hasn't he seen the pics that all of us have? He's probably seen the pics, videos and has more inside info than us 'common' folk.

[WinkyDink]

37. Has anybody forgotten

that this man HUGGED BUSH?
To paraphrase Tony Bennett: He left his ethics in old VietNam.

[Leilani]

38. This entire thread is filled with lies & sounds like something from

Free Republic.

The Captain who made this new accusations of torture couldn't get anyone in the Army to investigate, so he went to McCain to get some action. There is now an investigation underway.

McCain, along with John Warner & Lindsey Graham have written an amendment to be attached to the Pentagon Defense Bill to outlaw torture. Bush has already threatened to veto the bill if the amendment is attached.

McCain has said plenty about torture, none of it pretty. Remember, he's the guy who can't raise he arms above his waist, due to torture.

Where are the Dems on this issue? Mum, as usual.

Hate him if you like, but don't use lies to smear a POW.

[unkachuck]

39. John, you, chimpy, repugs....

....and half the suck-up go-along corporate Dems are 'hurting the nation's image abroad' too....wait a minute, no, you weasels are just plain hurting our nation....

....we will eventually field a crop of real politicians and recover....until then why don't you go have a drink with Hillary or Biden or some polster....nobody but the brain-dead would vote for you for Prez anyway....