Blair apologises over Iraq abuse

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Tony Blair says he is sorry for any mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners by British soldiers, but has stopped short of admitting abuses had taken place.

Pressure is mounting on Blair over the allegations, with politicians demanding to know what action the government took over reports of mistreatment.

"We've already made it absolutely clear we apologise deeply to anyone who's been mistreated by any of our soldiers. That is absolutely and totally unacceptable," Blair told France 3 television on Sunday. "We went to Iraq to end those type of abuses, not to engage in them."

Blair made the comments after the government said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had raised concerns with it over the treatment of British-held prisoners back in February.

~snip~
http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=507456§ion=news




Abusers will be punished: Blair
From correspondents in Paris
May 10, 2004
BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair apologised today for British soldiers' mistreatment of prisoners in Iraq and pledged to punish those responsible.

He told French television station France 3: "We apologise deeply to anyone who has been mistreated by our soldiers.

"This is totally unacceptable."

Mr Blair, who is on a visit to France, added: "Those responsible will be punished according to the army disciplinary rules."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9519118%255E1702,00.html

So bush* apologizes to King Abdullah and Blair apologizes while in France on French TV. What f'ing chickenshits.


edited to add reuters link....

Blair had the guts to ACTUALLY Apologize. It's a form of taking credit for the wrongdoing.

I don't think Bush* ever has, or will. If i found a clip like that, I'd replay it over and over again.

an attorney?

It could just mean he regrets the pictures were released.

Does this guy think everyone is a gullible idiot?

Don

That it happened or that it was revealed and caused lasting damage and a permenant public relations scandal with the Middle East, as well as the rest of the world.

Is he sorry for the abuse of these people or the damage to his image?

"digital cameras fucking everything up"

MoPaul


;)

http://www.euronews.net/create_html.php?page=accueil_info&lng=1&option=0,home

Won't stay active long, check http://www.euronews.net to find it again.

Example: above Euronews story:

German (Folter = Torture):

"Der britische Premierminister Tony Blair hat für die Folterungen von britischen Soldaten an Irakern um Verzeihung gebeten.

French:
"C'est au tour de Tony Blair de faire ses excuses dans l'affaire des prisonniers irakiens torturés."

But in English:
"British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he is sorry for any abuse of Iraqi prisoners by UK soldiers."

LONDON, England -- A day after apologizing for British soldiers' treatment of some Iraqi prisoners, Prime Minister Tony Blair said he only recently became aware of specific allegations of abuse.

He spoke as his defense secretary, Geoff Hoon, prepared to face the House of Commons Monday to answer questions about alleged abuse by British troops.

A new row flared in Britain after Blair's office disclosed that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned the British government as early as February of alleged maltreatment of prisoners by British soldiers.

The confidential ICRC report has not been published, and opposition Conservative and Liberal Democrat politicians are calling for its release to the public.

Blair told a news conference Monday that "in respect of the specific allegations about the Red Cross and so on, as far as I'm aware, these are things that we only knew of in the last few days."

~snip~
more: http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/05/10/iraq.abuse.uk/