President George W. Bush vowed Wednesday to punish any US troops behind the "abhorrent" abuse of Iraqi prisoners but did not apologise for the assaults, which have drawn a global outcry and eroded US credibility in the Muslim world.
"There will be a full investigation and justice will be served," he told the US-sponsored al-Hurra network, one of two television interviews he did in a personal and direct appeal to quiet the controversy.
Bush, speaking a day after White House national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said the United States was "deeply sorry" for the assaults at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad, did not offer a clear apology.
"People in Iraq need to understand that I view these practices as abhorrent," he said. "What took place in that prison does not represent America that I know."
But he said he had discussed the scandal sparked by photographs of gloating US soldiers humiliating Iraqi detainees, most of them naked, with US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld earlier in the day.
"I said, 'find the truth, and then tell the Iraqi people and the world the truth,'" said Bush. "We have nothing to hide. We believe in transparency because we're a free society. That's what free societies do."
Asked whether he anticipated any high-level resignations over the abuse, and whether he still had confidence in Rumsfeld, Bush said he still had "some confidence" in his defence secretary.
"It's also important for the people of Iraq to know that in a democracy everything is not perfect, that mistakes are made. But in a democracy as well those mistakes will be investigated and people will be brought to justice."
Bush said that the US military had opened a probe in January but that he personally had not been aware of the photographs until CBS television broadcast them one week ago.
"First time I saw or heard about pictures was on TV," said Bush, who has ordered an investigation into the US-run prison systems in Iraq and Afghanistan to determine how widespread the problem is.
The US military has suspended 10 prison guards, indicting six of them on criminal charges.
"The American people are just as appalled at what they have seen on TV as the Iraqi citizens have. The Iraqi citizens must understand that," he said. "There will be investigations. People will be brought to justice."
Bush also sat for an interview with Dubai-based al-Arabiya satellite television network but shun the Qatar-based al-Jazzeera, which US officials accuse of inciting violence against US troops.
In the second interview, Bush acknowledged that he photographs had a "terrible" impact on US efforts to win over the Middle East and promote democracy there.
"I think people in the Middle East who want to dislike America will use this as an excuse to remind people about their dislike. I think the average citizen will say, this isn't a country that I've been told about," he said.
Bush's comments came after senior US Army officials said the US military had opened criminal investigations into the deaths of 25 prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan, including two homicides, since December 2002.
Speaking just hours before Bush was scheduled to be interviewed, the newly minted commander of the prison system in Iraq apologised for the behaviour of US guards and vowed to implement reforms.
"I would like to personally apologise to the people of Iraq for a small number of leaders and soldiers who have violated our policies and possibly committed criminal acts," said Major General Geoffrey Miller.
"I personally guarantee that this will not happen again," Miller told reporters touring Abu Ghraib, where under ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein prisoners were tortured and executed.
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