Kerry Denounced For Insults To Iraqi Leader

WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- Republicans roundly criticized Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) last week for his comments about interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. On Thursday, Allawi addressed a joint session of Congress and participated in a Rose Garden press conference with President George W. Bush at the White House.

While Kerry was suffering the affects of a severe head cold that caused him to nearly lose his voice, he was able to utter a few lines that touched off an avalanche of criticism. Kerry claimed that Allawi was sent before Congress by the Bush administration to put the "best face" on Iraq.

Kerry said, "The prime minister and the president are here obviously to put their best face on the policy, but the fact is that the CIA estimates, the reporting, the ground operations and the troops all tell a different story."

Kerry added that Allawi made unrealistic claims about holding democratic elections in Iraq in January as scheduled. The Iraqi leader cited 15 of 18 provinces that are "ready to vote tomorrow."

But Kerry disagreed, saying, "The United States and the Iraqis have retreated from whole areas of Iraq. There are no-go zones in Iraq today. You can't hold an election in a no-go zone."

Vice presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) said, "Prime Minister Allawi's trip to the United States was filled with all the wrong lessons, lessons from an administration that just can't seem to tell the truth when it comes to Iraq."

The comment getting the most attention is one from Joe Lockhart, a former Clinton press secretary, who said, "The last thing you want to be seen as is a puppet of the United States, and you can almost see the hand underneath the shirt today moving the lips."

Many of Kerry's senate colleagues offered statements about the slight to Allawi.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Dick Lugar (R-IN) said, "Unfortunately, Senator John Kerry was not present with fellow Senators to greet the Prime Minister, to hear his message, or to question him during a very frank and candid Senate leadership luncheon."

Lugar expressed surprise that Kerry would rush to wage a political attack on the prime minister that Lugar said was clearly inaccurate and untimely. He noted that Democratic senators at the luncheon indicated their strong support for staying the course in Iraq and praised Allawi for his courage and candor.

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT) took to the floor of the senate Friday to say that he was "appalled" at some Democrats' remarks. He zeroed in on Lockhart's comments.

He said, "You know what is really underneath the shirt of Prime Minister Allawi? Scars from an axe attack by Saddam's henchmen. And do you know what is underneath those scars? A brave and patriotic Iraqi heart, beholden to no one but the cause of a free Iraq."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) said, "John Kerry's attacks on Prime Minister Allawi are deplorable."

He added, "How like John Kerry. After pressing for months for the transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis, he now tears down the very individual the Iraqi people and the international community selected to lead this nation to democracy and stability."

Frist pointed out, "He didn't even have the courtesy to attend Prime Minister Allawi's address before unleashing his critique."

Sen. George Allen (R-VA) said, "John Kerry must not have listened to Prime Minister Allawi's impressive and motivating speech about the future of Iraq and the fight against terrorists. While Dr. Allawi is leading with resolve for the first elections and prosperity for the long repressed Iraqi people, John Kerry welcomes this brave gentleman with arrogant, derogatory insults."

Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn stated, "Iraqi Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi yesterday thanked the American people for freeing his country and noted that four conspiracies to kill him have been uncovered in the past four weeks. In response, John Kerry met him with derision and accused him of lying. This political attack was an embarrassment to John Kerry and his campaign."

Sen. Joe Biden, a Delaware Democrat, sought to repair the damage done by the Kerry campaign's remarks. He disputed Bush's implication that Kerry might abandon Iraq.

Biden said that he had been personally authorized by Kerry to tell Allawi, "I guarantee you that John Kerry as president -- you will continue to have the full support of the United States of America in order to be able to establish a representative republic."

"Personally authorized"....Yes, please advise Mr. Allawi that the Senator has an 8% deficit in the polls and a desperate base that needs energizing....No hard feelings.

Or, as was put so masterfully by Dick Cheney in another, somehow similar circumstance...

"Mr Kerry, go **** yourself."

Biden said that he had been personally authorized by Kerry to tell Allawi,

So Biden does Kerry's bidding? Kerry is just a Senator. HE"S NOT PRESIDENT! And Biden is a lapdog!

4 posted on 09/28/2004 7:13:35 PM PDT by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)

"Biden said that he had been personally authorized by Kerry to tell Allawi, ".....

Sure he did after Biden called him and asked "What the hell were you thinking when you started trashing Allawi? We have to fix this NOW."

I want to see John F'n Kerry's scars from Viet Nam. If they're worthy of three Purple Hearts, there should be some solid physical evidence of them.

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