Unambiguous Endorsement

    

Bush won't fire Rumsfeld despite criticism

By John J. Lumpkin
The Associated Press

May 6, 2004, 3:07 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- President Bush said Thursday that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld "will stay in my Cabinet" despite Democratic calls for his departure over abusive treatment of Iraqi prisoners by American military guards.
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Bush spoke as his administration sought to counter a worldwide wave of revulsion over photographs showing Iraqi prisoners, some of them hooded, naked and in sexually humiliating poses, in an American-run prison in the Baghdad area.

Some of the images show American captors mugging and gloating amid the misery of the Iraqis. One, published Thursday on the front page of The Washington Post, showed a naked man on the ground, his neck on a leash, the other end of which was in the hand of a female American GI.

For the second straight day, Bush vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

On that, Bush drew no dissent, but a growing list of Democrats in Congress said Rumsfeld should resign, be fired, or even impeached.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters she believes Rumsfeld must go. And Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, issued a statement saying that "For the good of our country, the safety of our troops, and our image around the globe Secretary Rumsfeld should resign. If he does not resign forthwith, the president should fire him."

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting, also jabbed at Bush on the issue. In an appearance in California, Kerry said, "as president I will not be the last to know what is going on in my command. I will demand accountability for those who serve, and I will take responsibility for their actions.

"And I will do everything that I can in my power to repair the damage that this has caused to America's standing in the world and to the ideals for which we stand."
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Bush stopped short of issuing an apology for the abuse on Wednesday, when he granted interviews to two Arab television networks. This time, with the king of an Arab country standing at his side, he said simply he was sorry.

At the same time, he was unflinching in his support of Rumsfeld, whom he called back to the Pentagon in 2001 for his second tour of duty as secretary.

"He will stay in my Cabinet," the president said.

Bush's unambiguous endorsement came as Rumsfeld was preparing for what promises to be two contentious sessions with congressional committees on Friday.

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