For Immediate Release
Thursday May 20, 2004

Press Release - The Geneva Conventions
Thursday, May 20, 2004--Dr. David Sanders, candidate for the office of U.S. Representative for the 4th Congressional District of the State of Indiana, appeared at a press conference at 9:30 AM Thursday, May 20, 2004 at the Tippecanoe County Democratic Headquarters, 320 Main Street in Lafayette.
     Dr. Sanders began by asking for a moment of silence to remember the Americans who have died or been wounded serving their country in Afghanistan and Iraq. He then continued to discuss Congressman Buyer's approach to the prisoner abuse issue:
     "I gave Congressman Buyer a chance to respond to his own words that I publicized. His response was typical of his approach; his Congressional (not campaign) spokesperson engaged in a personal attack.
     "It appears that more of the public record needs to be brought to the voters' attention. Congressman Buyer claimed to have served in the front lines inthe Gulf War. Since when does the United States Army put its lawyers in the front lines?  Later Congressman Buyer acknowledged that he had been in "the rear echelons."
     "I am not questioning Congressman Buyer's military service. I am questioning Congressman Buyer's exploitation of the military for political purposes."
     "Congressman Buyer claimed to have served in Kosovo and then backed down from this statement. He has claimed to have interrogated prisoners himself, although this is inconsistent with both his job classification and his official military biography."
     Dr. Sanders adduced additional evidence about the discrepancy between Congressman Buyer's statements about his potential role in preventing the Iraqi prisoner abuse and his other words and actions.
     "Congressman Buyer provided cover for the administration's treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. He stated that they were "the worst of the worst" and "the leaders [of al-Qaida]" and did not merit POW status. We know that this is not true. The terrorist leaders were not sent to Guantanamo Bay. Congressman Buyer also said that complaints about the treatment of detainess "was a farce" and "a fictitious argument."
     "The road to Abu Ghraib passed through Guantanamo Bay. Congressman Buyer helped to pave part of that road. Recently in Congress, after the details of what occurred in Abu Ghraib prison were known, Congressman Buyer stated, "The United States has not violated the Geneva Conventions." He must be the last person on the planet to believe this. Even the administration admits that the Geneva Conventions had been violated. This [Congressman Buyer] is the man who was going to prevent abuses from happening? If there weren't photographic evidence of the prisoner abuses, Congressman Buyer would still be denying that they took place. America and the 4th Congressional District of Indiana deserve better."