Iraqi Prime Minister speaks to Congress

[Dan Hollister]

So 2 days ago, the Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Maliki flew in and gave a speech to Congress. I think this alone is an accomplishment. But in his speech, he expressed how grateful Iraq was for what we've been doing, how much more free a nation Iraq is now and how much safer it is, and how terrorism was destroying freedom and was even destroying Islam, and how it had to be stopped.

This, to me, seems like a pretty major speech. Especially with all the anti-war people around, I think it would be beneficial to hear that Iraq likes what we're doing.

What I'm sitting here mulling over now is the fact that I have seen no news source carry the speech transcript. I did see a lot of complaints, a protestor even broke into his speech, and then some democrats condemned him and his speech and called him antisemetic.

Can someone explain this to me??? I understand many people are liberal and anti-war, and that's cool, but do they have to be that extreme that we're unwilling to even publish or acknowledge when positive things do happen in Iraq?

[born to expire]

So 2 days ago, the Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Maliki flew in and gave a speech to Congress. I think this alone is an accomplishment. But in his speech, he expressed how grateful Iraq was for what we've been doing, how much more free a nation Iraq is now and how much safer it is, and how terrorism was destroying freedom and was even destroying Islam, and how it had to be stopped.

This, to me, seems like a pretty major speech. Especially with all the anti-war people around, I think it would be beneficial to hear that Iraq likes what we're doing.

What I'm sitting here mulling over now is the fact that I have seen no news source carry the speech transcript. I did see a lot of complaints, a protestor even broke into his speech, and then some democrats condemned him and his speech and called him antisemetic.

Can someone explain this to me??? I understand many people are liberal and anti-war, and that's cool, but do they have to be that extreme that we're unwilling to even publish or acknowledge when positive things do happen in Iraq?

Apparently a few days before he said something about Israel being the agressor. He also refused to answer the question "Do you consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization?"

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,205819,00.html

On an interesting/ironic note, it seems like all of the people who protested it were Democrats. I don't think this has to do with them being anti-war; they just don't think that the prime minister's beliefs align with those of the US and could ultimately lead to more problems.

[FScott]

The Iraq gov. fucking hates our guts

[Dan Hollister]

So what if he said Israel is the agressor? I'd be inclined to agree with him. Hezbollah may have started this war, but there's no denying that Israel has killed 10x more civilians so far in this conflict than Hezbollah has. I have a friend of mine who lives in Lebanon who lost his house and his dad from a bomb.

Israel may have been provoked first, but they certainly are not responding properly.

And FScott, do you know this from experience? All these Americans like to claim Iraq hates us and wanted Saddam to stay and yada yada, but who gives a SHIT what Americans say? If Iraqis say they are happy, and it's their word against ours, don't we have an obligation to listen to them? It's THEIR country. We cannot discredit what they choose to say about us, because we do not know. Many Americans just CHOOSE to believe that somehow the Iraqis all hate us.

[born to expire]

So what if he said Israel is the agressor? I'd be inclined to agree with him. Hezbollah may have started this war, but there's no denying that Israel has killed 10x more civilians so far in this conflict than Hezbollah has. I have a friend of mine who lives in Lebanon who lost his house and his dad from a bomb.

Israel may have been provoked first, but they certainly are not responding properly.



Not responding properly????

This is a response from a country that has been faced with suicide bombings for YEARS. Civilian casualties suck, but that's what happens when the enemy hides among them. Let Israel take care of business.

[FScott]

I said the Iraqi government not all the fucking people. Goodness. I hope lebanon gets fucked good. I mean real good.

[Dan Hollister]

Why is it accepable for hundreds of innocent people to die for this? If a bunch of KKK members invaded New York City, could we just start lobbing missiles in that direction?

It's not like the numbers are even. Lebanon has lost about 10x as many people in this struggle than Israel has. Also, Lebanon is not a terrorist nation. In fact they are easily one of the most westernized, modern nations over there. And their seaports - you know, the ones under attack - are vital for the economies of all Middle Eastern countries, not just themselves.

[FScott]

And how many thousands of innocent Iraqis were killed. Killed for not having any terrorist connections or WMD's from American missles (or random "combat stress" rampages)

Westernize nations do not let memebrs of parliment also take part in terrorist activities. When you harbor terrorists organizations and support them then your bound to get fucked one day.

[born to expire]

Why is it accepable for hundreds of innocent people to die for this? If a bunch of KKK members invaded New York City, could we just start lobbing missiles in that direction?

It's not like the numbers are even. Lebanon has lost about 10x as many people in this struggle than Israel has. Also, Lebanon is not a terrorist nation. In fact they are easily one of the most westernized, modern nations over there. And their seaports - you know, the ones under attack - are vital for the economies of all Middle Eastern countries, not just themselves.

Your KKK comment is irrelevant. Lebanon knowingly harbored Hezbollah, a terrorist organization. They did not make any effort to get them out of the country. Being a member of the KKK is not illegal, unless a crime is committed in the name of said organization (a lynching, for instance).

Innocent people die during war. It sucks, but it's a fact of life. Plenty of Israelis have died as well, and Israel even dropped notes out of planes warning Lebanese citizens that they planned on bombing those areas. Hezbollah members are a bunch of cowards for hiding among the Lebanese people. This is their fault.

[cal1082]

Why is it accepable for hundreds of innocent people to die for this? If a bunch of KKK members invaded New York City, could we just start lobbing missiles in that direction?

It's not like the numbers are even. Lebanon has lost about 10x as many people in this struggle than Israel has. Also, Lebanon is not a terrorist nation. In fact they are easily one of the most westernized, modern nations over there. And their seaports - you know, the ones under attack - are vital for the economies of all Middle Eastern countries, not just themselves.

I'm not sure of the numbers but you can't ignore the many, many attacks of Hez. and the civilians they've killed over the years. It's not as if we start the tally as of this conflict

[born to expire]

Speaking before the council, Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman called it a "horrible, sad and bloody Sunday." While he apologized for the airstrike on Qana, he said there was no comparison between Hezbollah, which intentionally targets Israeli civilians and uses Lebanese civilians as human shields, and Israel, which tries to avoid civilian casualties.
"Those people including women and children who were killed in this horrible tragic incident may have been killed by Israeli fire but they are the victims of the Hezbollah," Gillerman said. "They are the victims of terror. If there were no Hezbollah this would never have happened."


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060731/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_un