Powell Vows Justice for Abu Ghraib; Arabs Skeptical

Sunday, May 15, 2004

(10:56 PM ET)

By Arshad Mohammed & Nadim Ladki

Reuters Writers

"People are angry about it in the streets. They feel it deeply."

DEAD SEA COAST, Jordan -- Reuters
Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Saturday he was anguished by the abuse of Abu Ghraib prisoners and vowed justice as he tried to blunt Arab anger about Iraq and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

His comments were met with skepticism by Arab businessmen and politicians, who listened in silence and questioned whether the United States could be trusted to get to the bottom of the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal.

"Our many friends around the world share our anguish right now about the revelations of abuse at Abu Ghraib. I can tell you straight from my heart we will deal with this, we will see that justice is done," Powell said.

But many of those who listened to his speech at a World Economic Forum meeting beside the Dead Sea were unconvinced.

"We have heard this before. The important thing is action, not words. We are not sure we can trust them," said a Jordanian businessman who asked not to be named.

"Is he sincere? I don't think so," added an Arab politician.

Powell's 24-hour visit to Jordan aimed to address Arab rage about the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers, who stripped them naked, positioned them to simulate sex acts and photographed them.

Powell also tried to revive the stymied Arab-Israeli peace process by meeting Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie for the first time since the Palestinian took office last year.

U.S. credibility in the Arab world has been shredded by the prisoner abuses in Iraq, which remains a caldron of violence since the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein a year ago.

* "LARGER PICTURE"

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2004 © Reuters, Ltd.

Dan