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Democratic Radio Address to the Nation by Wesley Clark
May 12, 2004
For Immediate Release
Good Morning. This is General Wesley Clark, United States Army retired
This week the world has been shocked and angered, and America’s moral leadership’s been undercut, by the terrible pictures of a small number of our US military people abusing Iraqi prisoners
The President apologized; he’s recognized and stated that these acts were 'stains on our honor'. And it’s right that he’s done so.
But apologies are not enough. These criminal acts of abuse must be investigated fully and those responsible must be held accountable under law. We must fix our training and procedures so this cannot happen again. Amends must be made to Iraqis who suffered these humiliations through real and symbolic gestures, such as the dismantling of Abu Ghraib prison itself.
The issues at stake here go to the very heart of the American mission in Iraq. For, by our own claims, we’re different. We came to liberate, not to occupy. We came to 'free', not to imprison. With our character, we don't torture, or maim, or coerce. And if the mission was endangered by the prospects of our use of heavy force against insurgents in Fallujah and Najaf – and it was so endangered. It is no less endangered by the loss of credibility caused by the misconduct of a few American soldiers. This is a mission in trouble.
At this time, my thoughts go out to our soldiers, our Marines, their families. Because they've served so courageously and so well. And at great cost. Over 700 have died; more than 4,000 have been wounded. And just this week the Administration announced that it must keep 135,000 troops in Iraq through 2005. What this means is repetitive tours, repetitive family separations and more fears that one's husband, or wife, or child, won't make it safely home.
We owe the men and women in the Armed Forces a tremendous debt of gratitude. But we also owe them the proper equipment – the armored vests, the armored vehicles, the radios that they need so they can do the job safely. Yet, more than a year after the President sent them into battle, they still don't have this equipment. Some 200 lives might have been spared had they had the protective gear and armored equipment that the mission actually requires. 200 Lives. It’s an inexcusable loss. The Bush Administration should have addressed this issue long ago. It must do so immediately.
But the larger picture is also disturbing. Our President took us to war with exaggerated, hyped intelligence. He took us to war in Iraq without an imminent threat to our country. He took us to war before all the diplomatic options were exhausted. He took us to war before our allies were fully on board, and before we had a realistic plan or adequate forces to deal with what would happen after we reached Baghdad. And all of this campaign was a distraction from our pursuit of Osama bin Laden, who was after all our real enemy.
The truth is President Bush has made mistake after mistake as Commander-in-Chief, taking us first into a war we didn't have to fight alone and under false pretenses and now managing it so poorly.
The mission itself in danger as the self-imposed June 30th deadline for transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqis approaches. If we’re to prevent Iraq from becoming a failed state that breeds new terrorists, America must change course. Enough of the unilateralism and over reliance on the men and women in uniform. We must bring in our allies, give them a seat at the decision making table and together create an international organization to provide economic and political assistance as Iraqis form their own government. The United States must not bear so much of the burden. And we’re unlikely to succeed if we continue to do so.
With new American leadership we can gain real help from our NATO allies - and from countries in the region. With their help, we can create the conditions for free and fair elections, transition to a secure and free Iraq, and bring home much of our military.
My fellow Americans this is an election year. It is our duty as citizens to use the power of the vote and hold accountable our President. I believe we need new leadership in America to keep us safe at home, to win the war on terror and to regain respect for America abroad.
Thank you.
Source: John Kerry for President Note to Mods: Kerry press release, not copyrighted.
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