Bush ‘sick’ at prisoner abuse in Iraq

US President George W Bush staunchly defended his handling of the Iraqi war over the weekend but pledged that those responsible for mistreating prisoners would be dealt with in an open way.

Mr Bush was responding to concerns raised by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and President Mary McAleese to the treatment of Iraqi prisoners and Taliban prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Mr Ahern told Bush about Ireland’s “disgust” at the treatment of these prisoners during the EU/US summit at Dromoland Castle in County Clare. President McAleese told the US leader of her deep disquiet about the treatment of the prisoners in the Abu Ghraib jail in Iraq.