The misleading ad refers to Faithful America as a "liberal group that ran ads on Arab TV apologizing for the actions of U.S. troops." The attack does not mention that the Faithful America ads were a specific response to the abuses committed at Abu Ghraib, or that America's political and military leaders similarly deplored and condemned the abuses of detainees at the Iraqi prison.
Faithful America mobilized around the tragic brutality at Abu Ghraib prison in 2004 by raising money from its grassroots network to place an advertisement on Arabic-language satellite television expressing sorrow for the abuse. The ad stated.
"As Americans of faith, we express our deep sorrow at abuses committed in Iraqi prisons. We stand in solidarity with all those in Iraq and everywhere who demand justice and human dignity. We condemn the sinful and systemic abuses committed in our name, and pledge to work to right these wrongs."
We stand by our response to Abu Ghraib, and we're circulating a petition calling for this distortive and offensive ad to be taken down. It doesn't belong on the airwaves in the 5th District or anywhere else.
The Faithful America ad, which ran in June 2004, came on the heels of statements from America's political and military leaders that also deplored and condemned the abuses committed at the Iraqi prison:
"I view those practices as abhorrent."
-- GEORGE W. BUSH, on Arab satellite television, May 2004
"Totally despicable."
-- COLIN POWELL, U.S. Secretary of State, May 2004
"Totally unacceptable and un-American."
-- DONALD RUMSFELD, U.S. Secretary of Defense, May 2004
"It was sickening and outrageous."
--CONDOLEEZZA RICE, U.S. National Security Adviser, May 2004
Faithful America stands by its response to the horrors of Abu Ghraib and calls for the ad's sponsor to remove its negative and misleading attack on Faithful America from the airwaves.