Tony Blair

In the first official admission of abuse by British forces since shocking pictures were published April 30, Blair told French television during a one-day visit to Paris, "We apologize deeply to anyone who has been mistreated by our soldiers. This is unacceptable.

"Those responsible will be punished according to the army disciplinary rules."

Blair stressed, however, that the majority of British soldiers did not act like those responsible for the abuses.

U.S. President George W. Bush first apologized May 6 for the abuse and humiliation of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. troops at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad, calling the ill treatment "a stain on our country's honor."

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld followed May 7 -- taking full responsibility for the abuse by American soldiers and apologizing during testimony to Congress.

Britain's Daily Mirror published April 30 photos that appear to show British soldiers beating and urinating on an Iraqi prisoner in a camp near Basra in British-controlled southern Iraq.

The Japan Times Weekly: May 15, 2004
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