May 4, 2004

Goodman Says Bush and Kirk Are Responsible for Prisoner Abuse

Lee Goodman, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives from the 10th District of Illinois, said today that President Bush’s policies are responsible for recently reported abuses of Iraqi prisoners. “By pretending that the detainees at Guantanamo are not prisoners of war, Bush ignored the Geneva conventions that for decades have demanded humane treatment of prisoners. He refused to acknowledge that the U.S. had a moral or legal obligation to respect the human rights of people in its custody. If some of the people who were guarding prisoners in Iraq failed to act properly, the President’s weak leadership is directly to blame. Bush should have been insisting on the highest ethical standards. Instead, he gave the nod to abusive treatment.”

Goodman also criticized his opponent, Republican Mark Kirk, for acceding to Bush’s policies. “At a public forum last September, Kirk was specifically asked about the treatment of Iraqi prisoners. He did not indicate he had any concern for the prisoners’ well-being, and answered merely that he wanted to protect Americans, and the prisoners were not Americans. That blatant disregard for human rights is what has led to the present disgraceful situation.”

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