Posted on 06/21/2005 3:31:05 AM PDT by goldstategop
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., set off a firestorm last week when he compared U.S. treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo to practices employed by Nazis, Soviets, Pol Pot and their ilk. His remarks were condemned by the White House, the Pentagon, the Christian Coalition, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Newt Gingrich (who called for his censure by the Senate) and by the entire right side of the talk radio/television/blog world. The heat got so bad that, late in the week, Durbin apologized if his remarks had been "misunderstood." They weren't, and Durbin should not have apologized.
Instead, the senator should have hit back hard, just as the Amnesty International did when its comparison of Guantanamo to the Soviet gulag was attacked. By caving in, Durbin did just what the orchestrated right-wing smear effort required to succeed: It made him the story rather than focusing further attention on the outrageous violations of international law and human rights being perpetrated in Guantanamo and elsewhere in the name of the American people.
The comments that were criticized came late in a long, thoughtful speech on the Senate floor in which Durbin reflected on the United States' obligation to be better than reprehensible regimes of the past. He talked at some length about mistakes American presidents made in previous wars (repealing habeas corpus during the Civil War, interning Americans of Japanese descent during World War II, taking over the steel industry during the Korean War).... ....
It's not too late, as Durbin said of Bush in his speech: The senator should stop apologizing and keep up the criticism of the hellhole America's military has created at Guantanamo. He has no reason to be defensive; he's telling the truth. It's a truth Americans need to hear, and its tellers must resist intimidation.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
The Red Star has got to joking. They bring up some obscure "taking over the steel industry during the Korean War" jibe as a warcrime to try to pad their feeble defense of what Durbin did?
Yup. The Red Star must be right. Turning off the air conditioner and "taking over the steel industry" (hey I thought Socialists liked that sort of thing?) is akin to the Holocaust, the Killing Fields, and the Soviet Gulag!
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Coupled with the aid and comfort Durbin has given to the enemy, the only acceptable action regarding Dachau Dick is either resignation or expulsion from the Senate.
WorldNetDaily story.
PING...
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
WorldNetDaily story.
PING...
FNC is talking about it again and they just said there is an article on Powerline blog! Go Team!
The Red Star has got to joking
No they aren't! Remember this is a paper that the NY Times called "looney left" (their quote) a couple of years ago.
I hope the local folks get in touch with this paper's advertisers.
What world do these people live in? Sayeth the nutters at the Strib:
"Durbin was spot on in his assessment of Guantanamo. That's why he was so roundly attacked. He told the truth."
He told the truth? "[Y]ou would most certainly believe this must have been done by Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime — Pol Pot or others — that had no concern for human beings." Dick Durbin on Gitmo, JUne 14, 2005. The Strib says he told the truth.
So, the paper believes the Gitmo = Pol Pot's killing fields, eh? That air conditioning levels equate with the Holocaust, and a single FBI report with Solzehnitsyn's witness to the millions of lives lost in the Gulag. What moral ciphers. Good to remember that in the future as they endorse candidates.
How does any supporter of the United States military subscribe to this paper? Who is willing to advertise in it?
Powerline Blog Headline " The Star Tribune is Fonda Durbin"
SSDD.
Paging the paper's advertisers...
I just can't believe this. I am stunned. i had to keep going back to the link, I couldn't believe this is the Minneapolis newspaper.
Military Chaplain at Gitmo: Seek Truth (Contradicts Media)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1426527/posts
What's hard to believe?
They didn't get the "Red-Star" nick on Free Republic for being on America's side.
The vitriol being heaped on Durbin would be almost funny if it weren't so mean," Cohen writes. "The man, after all, is the virtually invisible Dick Durbin. And yet he is being tarred and feathered for saying something that has occurred to many of us: Guantanamo makes the United States look bad."
Aww,danged those mean old Republicans for being mean to poor little Dickie. And Gitmo doesn't make the US look bad you idiot, it makes us look tough.
Our mistake was to TAKE ANY PRISIONERS!!!!!!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.