Posted on 06/18/2005 12:54:10 AM PDT by ambrose
Article Published: Saturday, June 18, 2005 - 12:00:00 AM PST
Senator issues apology for U.S.-Nazi comparison
By Rebecca Carroll, Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Friday that he regretted any misunderstandings caused by his comments earlier this week comparing American interrogators at Guantanamo Bay to Nazis.
The White House, Senate Republicans and others had called for an apology after Durbin's comments Tuesday.
Durbin made the comparison after reading an FBI agent's report describing detainees at the Naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as being chained to the floor without food or water in extreme temperatures.
"If I read this to you and did not tell you that it was an FBI agent describing what Americans had done to prisoners in their control, you would most certainly believe this must have been done by Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime -- Pol Pot or others -- that had no concern for human beings," Durbin said Tuesday.
On Friday, Durbin tried to clarify the issue. "My statement in the Senate was critical of the policies of this administration, which add to the risk our soldiers face," he said in a statement released Friday afternoon. "I have learned from my statement that historical parallels can be misused and misunderstood. I sincerely regret if what I said caused anyone to misunderstand my true feelings: Our soldiers around the world and their families at home deserve our respect, admiration and total support."
The Anti-Defamation League on Thursday had joined lawmakers and other groups in calling for an apology.
"Suggesting some kind of equivalence between (U.S. military) interrogation tactics demonstrates a profound lack of understanding about the horrors that Hitler and his regime actually perpetrated," the league said in a letter to Durbin that was posted to its Web site.
Sen. John Warner, R-Va., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Thursday: "I feel apologies are in order to the men and women of the armed forces. I do not ask it for myself."
All seven freshmen Republican senators also made a joint call Friday for an apology.
Durbin had said Thursday that he had never brought U.S. soldiers into the comparison in the first place, and that he was criticizing the approved interrogation methods described in an FBI memo obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Do a search for the name Louis Pepe.
He's the US prison guard who was hels down by two AlQueda inmates who shoved a sharp comb into his eye & brain.
I have no sympathy for the terrorists. They want to kill us. They will kill rgeir soldier guards in a heartbeat if given a chance. We are at war...get info out of them asap and be done with it.
Durbin is just blathering now because of all the heat turned on him from his own comments. Nothing more. He meant every word he said. Just another America hating Democrat.
Good article. I strongly feel they have no protections or rights under our laws. We set up military tribunals to deal with them. That's where they belong. But perhaps the truly fair thing to do would be to incarcerate, interrogate, try, and punish them using the same standards and practices used against the prisoners of the groups they fought for.
*GASP* not that! What would DICK think?
This sentence says it all.Dick Vermin believes his statement to be correct.
If he thought otherwise he would realize that there are no historical parallels here.
Anti-American slime.
This was not an apology! Until he truly apologizes, the pressure will continue and only get worse.
To him, anything is an improvement. We are in some elite company according to him.
There was not an Apology to accept!
It's no apology. It's "I'm sorry you misunderstood".
Sounds more like "I'm sorry I got caught".
This, after the references to Pol Pot, etc.
We don't have an apology, here, but we do have one Sick Turban!
Where's the apology?
A Military Father’s Response to Senator Durbin and the Democrat Party
Nothing but a slimeball!
The only honorable way for Durbin to apologize is to resign--but he won't do that.
All this business about Guantanamo the last few weeks illustrates perfectly why the Dems can't ever be trused in the WOT. If given the chance they would:
1. Close Guantanamo and release most of the terrorists (who would then go on to kill more US citizens).
2. Bring the remainder to the US, were they would be defended to the hilt by the ACLU & others at the cost of millions in taxpayer $$. The show trials will go on for years and weaken our resolve further.
3. Those let go would be invited to apply for compensation from and/or sue the US Gov. As a result, each would likely get settlements comparable to a Jackson molestation victim.
4. A witch hunt would be unleased against the US guards at Guantanamo. A few will go to prison, most will be forced retire or to leave the service.
5. Mishandling the Koran in any way, shape, or form will be deemed to worst kind of hate crime. It will become as taboo as using the "N" word.
6. As a result, holding almost any kind of terrorist will be deemed "too hot to handle". Like illegal aliens at the border, they will just be let go to perpetrate their crimes again.
BTW--I use the name Guantanamo instead of the shorter "Gitmo" 'cause I think the term "Gitmo" is part of the Leftist demonization campaign.
No-one misunderstood.
Unfortunately, one very big "IF" there!!
Absolutley fantastic letter!!! Thank you!! God Bless your daughter and son in law for their service to our great country! I'm so proud of you for writing that!
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