Kucinich Calls On Democratic Party Leadership To Act On Iraq War

Worse" is Yet to Come, Says Kucinich
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2004


Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich said statements by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, coupled with new revelations in a report by the International Red Cross, "indicate that this appalling story of torture, degradation, and inhumanity is going to get worse" when all the facts are fully disclosed.

The most troubling parts of Rumsfeld's testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee today, Kucinich said, relate to "what the American people haven' t been told yet." Rumsfeld told the committee that all of the facts relating to the Iraq prison abuse scandal were not yet known. He said he was aware of additional photographs and videos of sexual humiliation that have yet to be released publicly. "There are a lot more photos and videos that exist," Rumsfeld said. "If these are released to the public, they are going to make matters worse."

Rumsfeld's admission that the scandal is more widespread than currently believed comes on the same day as a damning report by the International Red Cross claiming that Iraqi detainees held by U.S. forces were subjected to systematic degrading treatment, sometimes close to torture, that may have been officially condoned. According to the report, "Our findings do not allow us to conclude that what we were dealing with...were isolated acts of individual members of coalition forces. What we have described is a pattern and a broad system." Kucinich said, "This is beyond inexcusable. This is obscene."

"What could possibly be worse than an obscene war that dehumanizes the Iraqi people who were promised freedom from tyranny and terror?" Kucinich asked. "The only thing worse is to remain there -- as occupiers, as targets, and as perceived enemies of the very principles of liberty and decency that we claim to believe in -- in even greater numbers and force, with no end in sight." Kucinich, a Congressman from Ohio, blamed the Bush Administration for creating the environment that led to the abuses and for failing to take swift action to deal with them. "We have not begun to go far enough to examine the true intent and conduct of the leadership of this country" he said, nor "have we gone far enough to bring an end to this unjustified war."

Today, while campaigning in West Virginia, he said, "There is no doubt that this will get worse -- for the Iraqi people, for our men and women in uniform who are now at even greater risk, and for the image of the United States in the eyes of the world community." He added, "The Republican Administration is unwilling to admit its mistakes, so it now falls on the leadership of the Democratic Party to demand an end to the war and to call on the Administration to bring our troops home."

For information about the National campaign: http://www.kucinich.us

Someone has to tell it like it is.
Watch the "leadership of the Democratic Party"
weasel and waffle and dodge.

I'm so grateful to him for speaking out strongly.

I wish he wasn't the only one.

Kanary

He is a real Democrat-no strings attached!

...he comes by far the closest to have "gotten it."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1565414

A terrible shame.

Thank you

I pray for a miracle that will make you our nominee.

you may not like it, but that is the way things are. Kerry is the nominee...

:pat on the head: for your cute little comment.

you have incredible tolerance...

in awe, :hug:
dp

They used to say some incredibly stupid things but at the root, they were just begging for attention. ;)

Nonsense. Kucinich would be the strongest candidate against Bush and would win. "Kucinich can't beat Bush". That's the old, old line used by some in the Democratic Party leadership who want to marginalize Kucinich and other progressives in the Democratic Party.

When I saw an article that called the DLC I raised my eyes to the heavens.
DK should be centrist part of the party and spectrum.

Sadly the democratic party is beholden to special interest capitalists just like the republicans.

At 47, I am rapidly losing any hope in our democracy and believe that corporate sponsored avarice will be our downfall.

Quite ironically for the fundies, greed is one of the seven deadly sins.

Wouldn't it be ironic to see the whole population lined up at the gates of hell, not heaven, for their complicity in this exercise of greed.

Ah, roasted white southern baptist with a nice Cabernet what a feast. Too bad it will be the only thing on the menu. The palate will tire quickly.

In a nation perverted by delusion and denial, thank Goddess there is ONE Democrat holding up the Light.

That he is ignored and marginalized is no reflection on HIS quality, it is a reflection of the sorry degraded state of the people of this nation.

sw

and a sad state of affairs it really is too. Saddens and angers me all at the same time. Perhaps one day the likes of Dennis Kucinich will be honored in this country, but I'm afraid it will be long after he and I are both dead and gone. :cry:

"That he is ignored and marginalized is no reflection on HIS quality, it is a reflection of the sorry degraded state of the people of this nation."

Succinctly stated,SW!

Even though we are a minority in our bicameral system, if our representatives and their constituencies make enough noise, the pressure will be felt.

I am still in the Democratic party. Keep telling it like it is, Dennis.

:dem:

in a whole lot more races on the ballot this fall?

Look, leadership isn't always politically correct. When you have to lick your finger and stick it up to find out which way the wind is blowing -- take an opinion poll -- in order to have an opinion, you are a politically correct person, but not a leader.

Leaders are the ones that change the way the wind is blowing. And thanks to Kucinich for this. I happen to have four kids of draft age.

Bev Harris

Great way to put it.

How long has it been since we've had a *REAL* leader?

I don't think most 'murkins would even recognize a true leader anymore. Oh yeah, that's right... there's one here, and they haven't. :(

I trust Dennis with my life, because it's hanging in the balance. Nobody else is gonna give a rip, that's for sure.

Kanary

DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

The go-along-to-get-along ploy isn't going to work any more.Neither is the same-o corporate rape of Iraq. Further, waiting for Bush to implode on Iraq isn't going to be possible. As Bev's presence here reminds us, Kerry must win by a HUGE MARGIN to counter the BBV problem.

We need to PUSH the Democratic Party in this direction. It can only be an improvement.

Hey Dennis, we love ya!:loveya:

We just spent mother's day discussing their feelings about facing a possible draft.

It would be wonderful to have more leaders like Dennis Kucinich on our ballots this fall. They are the ones that change the way the wind is blowing. And we need a clean, fresh, wind to blow out the ills and bring in healthy change.

just shows how far the corporate interests, media and the neocon radicals have poisoned America.

40 years ago DK would have been the centrist view of average America. With the assassination of JFK, RFK and MLK the above mentioned interests operated unopposed giving us 12 years of Bush Sr (via a incapacitated Reagan through assassination attempt) and then 3 years of junior.

Those pricks need to be removed from power. And when I say pricks, I don't mean just Bush*. I mean the corrupting influence in our society that patiently over 40 years have poisoned America.