Washington, May 11: President George W. Bush met with beleaguered US defence leaders today and promised ''a full accounting'' of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by their American guards in a scandal that has angered the Arab world. ''Because America is committed to the equality and dignity of all people, there will be a full accounting for the cruel and disgraceful abuse of Iraqi detainees,'' bush said in remarks at the Pentagon. ''The conduct that has come to light is an insult to the Iraqi people and an affront to the most basic standards and decency.''
The President met with defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and top US military officers after Bush publicly apologized last week for the scandal, triggered by photographs of naked Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad.
''The Iraqi people need to know that our coalition is fully committed to their independence, that we are fully committed to their national dignity,'' he said.
''We have great respect for the people of Iraq and for all Arab peoples, respect for their culture and for their history and for the contributions they can make to the world.''
Bureau Report