Bush tells Arabs prisoner treatment was 'abhorrent'

President George Bush told Arab TV today that the treatment of Iraqi prisoners by some members of the US military was ”abhorrent” but does not represent “the America that I know”.

The people of Iraq “must understand that what took place in that prison does not represent the America that I know”.

Bush’s damagee limiting exercise on Arab networks came the day after the us army disclosed that it is conducting criminal investigations of 10 prisoner deaths in US custody in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus another 10 abuse cases.

In addition, the deaths of two Iraqi prisoners already have been ruled murders.

In one case, a soldier was court-martialed, reduced in rank and discharged from the Army.

In the other homicide, a CIA contract interrogator’s conduct has been referred to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution.