Dean calls Iraqi PM an 'anti-Semite'

Ron Burgundy · 07-26-2006, 08:45 PM

Dean calls Iraqi PM an 'anti-Semite' (AP)

AP - Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean on Wednesday called Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki an "anti-Semite" for failing to denounce Hezbollah for its attacks against Israel.

Dean calls Iraqi PM an 'anti-Semite'

By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press WriterWed Jul 26, 7:19 PM ET

Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean on Wednesday called Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki an "anti-Semite" for failing to denounce Hezbollah for its attacks against Israel.

Al-Maliki has condemned Israel's offensive, prompting several Democrats to boycott his address to a joint meeting of Congress and others to criticize him. Dean's comments were the strongest to date.

"The Iraqi prime minister is an anti-Semite," the Democratic leader told a gathering of business leaders in Florida. "We don't need to spend $200 and $300 and $500 billion dollars bringing democracy to Iraq to turn it over to people who believe that Israel doesn't have a right to defend itself and who refuse to condemn Hezbollah."

On Tuesday, leading Senate Democrats said in a sharply worded letter that Al-Maliki's "failure to condemn Hezbollah's aggression and recognize Israel's right to defend itself raises serious questions about whether Iraq under your leadership can play a constructive role in resolving the current crisis and bringing stability to the Middle East."

The Republican National Committee rejected Dean's criticism of Al-Maliki, saying, "It is incredibly troubling that Howard Dean would seek to score cheap political points by attacking the democratically elected prime minister of Iraq."

On Capitol Hill, Sen. John Warner (news, bio, voting record), R-Va., the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said: "I dismiss Howard Dean. Really, he's a disappointment, even to Democrats. I don't care to deal with that."

Dean also used the Florida appearance to criticize President Bush, calling him "the most divisive president probably in our history" as he complained that Republican policies of deceit and finger-pointing are tearing the country apart.

"He's always talking about those people. It's always somebody else's fault. It's the gays' fault. It's the immigrants' fault. It's the liberals' fault. It's the Democrats' fault. It's Hollywood people," Dean said. "Americans are sick of that. Even if you win elections doing that, you drag down our country."

Dean spoke to about 240 business leaders in Palm Beach County at a gathering of the Democratic Professionals Forum. It is part of a nationwide grassroots campaign to get voters involved in politics on a local level ahead of the November elections.

Republicans welcomed Dean's appearance in Florida, criticizing him for the same divisiveness he accused Republicans of creating.

"Howard Dean's divisive rhetoric has done nothing more than drive the Democrat Party further to the extreme left of the political spectrum," said Carole Jean Jordan, head of the Republican Party of Florida.

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thatguyoverthere · 07-26-2006, 11:12 PM

Strong words, but you have to give it some weight. Deans wife and kids are Jewish, and I doubt that he would throw the term "anti-semite" around lightly.

It's an interesting article. What do you guys think?

motivez · 07-26-2006, 11:19 PM

This guy should probably not have been allowed to speak in front of Congress when he's not condemned the Hezbollah attacks. The only reason it makes sense to allow him is as some sort of pre-election buzz for "progress in Iraq" for the GOP.

That said, I respect his right not to do so as a leader of a soverign nation.

IminWonderland · 07-26-2006, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

This guy should probably not have been allowed to speak in front of Congress when he's not condemned the Hezbollah attacks. The only reason it makes sense to allow him is as some sort of pre-election buzz for "progress in Iraq" for the GOP.

That said, I respect his right not to do so as a leader of a soverign nation.

I respect his right to say that....because he is the PM and he should make those decisions for his country or whatever, if that's how its set up...

But what does that say about us passing around our bottle of democracy and our "freedom and values" when the country we free'd from a vicious dictator is now supporting a supposed terrorist government within a government?

Kytro · 07-27-2006, 02:50 AM

Ah aren't Iraqis semites?

ballz2wallz · 07-27-2006, 06:41 AM

first of all, this guy is not required to speak out about hezbollah. yes, it's something going on in the world today and everyone is talking, but this guy has a lot to deal with already. secondly, with the political group that he's affiliated with, and the number of muslims in his own country, to speak out against the hezbollah at this time would have been political suicide.

he was smart to leave it alone.

dean isn't necessarily wrong in his assertion (i believe that the mere reason they are muslim already puts them on the 'i dislike israel' list) but he probably should have used a little more tact. there was not one democrat that supported dean in that statement.

Thorgrim · 07-27-2006, 07:33 AM

my god, the lengths you will go to defend someone who likes Bush and Bush likes back

if it were some American-Iraqi saying the same exact thing, you'd be crucifying him

all your morals and ideals come down to "oh jees we can't ask a guy to do the right thing, that'd be political suicide!"

the party of morals...right there

ballz2wallz · 07-27-2006, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

my god, the lengths you will go to defend someone who likes Bush and Bush likes back

if it were some American-Iraqi saying the same exact thing, you'd be crucifying him

all your morals and ideals come down to "oh jees we can't ask a guy to do the right thing, that'd be political suicide!"

the party of morals...right there

you really think he supports israel in this? for fucks sake, YOU don't even support israel in this. what makes you think he does?

what exactly IS the right thing here?

and what does my analysis have anything to do with defending him? on the contrary, i think you'd go to any length just to argue with me about something. you don't even know my personal opinion about the issue. so where the fuck do you get off saying this shit?

Thorgrim · 07-27-2006, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

you really think he supports israel in this? for fucks sake, YOU don't even support israel in this. what makes you think he does?

what exactly IS the right thing here?

and what does my analysis have anything to do with defending him? on the contrary, i think you'd go to any length just to argue with me about something. you don't even know my personal opinion about the issue. so where the fuck do you get off saying this shit?

I'm a post on a message board, I don't represent an Ally of a country that is an Ally of Israel

And I think Israel is taking this too far, I never said Hezbollah wasn't wrong

On the contrary, even the most liberal or conservative American will condemn Hezbollah, Maliki wouldn't

Why? Because he kowtows to Iran, our enemy, which supports terrorists around the world

Ofcourse, because he fits into the GOP agenda, he is hailed with applause, nevermind his links to Terrorism and his refusal to condemn terrorists...you think at the very least he could condemn terrorists when they cross the border they signed on to and capture soldiers

No, Hezbollah can do no wrong, because they are a wing of Iran

ballz2wallz · 07-27-2006, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

I'm a post on a message board, I don't represent an Ally of a country that is an Ally of Israel

And I think Israel is taking this too far, I never said Hezbollah wasn't wrong

On the contrary, even the most liberal or conservative American will condemn Hezbollah, Maliki wouldn't

Why? Because he kowtows to Iran, our enemy, which supports terrorists around the world

Ofcourse, because he fits into the GOP agenda, he is hailed with applause, nevermind his links to Terrorism and his refusal to condemn terrorists...you think at the very least he could condemn terrorists when they cross the border they signed on to and capture soldiers

No, Hezbollah can do no wrong, because they are a wing of Iran

and i don't disagree with that at all. i just said politically he was smart not to touch it. and i said dean wasn't necessarily wrong in what he said. do you even read what i fucking write or just tear into me first chance you get?

don't for one second think i'm 'defending him' because he 'likes bush and bush likes him'

fucking pathetic attempts to attack me any way possible.

kinggovernor · 07-27-2006, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by Kytro

Ah aren't Iraqis semites?

Somehow, someway Semite has become jews only but that is not the case

Thorgrim · 07-27-2006, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

first of all, this guy is not required to speak out about hezbollah. yes, it's something going on in the world today and everyone is talking, but this guy has a lot to deal with already. secondly, with the political group that he's affiliated with, and the number of muslims in his own country, to speak out against the hezbollah at this time would have been political suicide.

he was smart to leave it alone.

.

If that's not defending Maliki, I don't know what is

and there is no reason to defend the leader of a government who is supporting terrorism, unless...oh wait he's tied to the GOP's success

what, are you going to comment on how handsome he is?

ballz2wallz · 07-27-2006, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

If that's not defending Maliki, I don't know what is

and there is no reason to defend the leader of a government who is supporting terrorism, unless...oh wait he's tied to the GOP's success

what, are you going to comment on how handsome he is?

it's a pure analysis you dickwad, it's not a defense by any means.

would i have liked him to speak out against hezbollah? of course. do i expect him to? of course not. he's of the same fiber that hezbollah is.

stop being a faggot and making all of this personal. it's pure political analysis, that's all.

read this before you respond to my posts next time:

Originally Posted by motivez

The other rules should be obvious. Respect other posters. No flaming. No flame baiting. No trolling. No personal attacks, etc.

Thorgrim · 07-27-2006, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

it's a pure analysis you dickwad, it's not a defense by any means.

would i have liked him to speak out against hezbollah? of course. do i expect him to? of course not. he's of the same fiber that hezbollah is.

stop being a faggot and making all of this personal. it's pure political analysis, that's all.

The bottom line is that someone complained a US ally shouldn't be doing such a thing, and you come in with a defense

Thanks for your analytical observations on the merits of anti-semitism

What's next, are you going to lecture me on how politically smart it was for Hitler to start the holocaust?

kinggovernor · 07-27-2006, 09:05 AM

Dean did a great job of knowing his audience

kinggovernor · 07-27-2006, 09:05 AM

This just in: muslims hates jews

ballz2wallz · 07-27-2006, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

This just in: muslims hates jews

amazing!

archangel003 · 07-27-2006, 10:50 AM

I'm surprised at this.

Deaniacs are always the first to blame Israel for all the Middle East's problems.

SoFlaJDM · 07-27-2006, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by archangel003

I'm surprised at this.

Deaniacs are always the first to blame Israel for all the Middle East's problems.

are you gonna supply any quotes or anything to support that?

JaJae · 07-27-2006, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

it's a pure analysis you dickwad, it's not a defense by any means.

would i have liked him to speak out against hezbollah? of course. do i expect him to? of course not. he's of the same fiber that hezbollah is.

stop being a faggot and making all of this personal. it's pure political analysis, that's all.

read this before you respond to my posts next time:

If you feel your being baited or someone is crossing the line, please let someone know before making ad hominem attacks.

Thorgrim, you know how people are gonna react when you say certain things. Please try to be considerate of the board and don't test people.

Ballz, please keep your posts in line with the rules.