State Department Response to Cartoon Controversy

U.S. Department of State Press Briefing ^ | 3 February 2006 | Sean McCormack, Spokesman

[Cap Huff]

This is an excerpt of the daily press briefing in which the spokesman responds to questions about the cartoon controversy.

[xcamel]

Watta Maroon

[kokonut]

Yeah, well, let me help ya'll not forget what this moron did. Here's a list of video links regarding Islam, Muslims and terrorists.

http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.com/2006/02/islam-religion-of-peace-video-gallery.html

[KJC1]

What exactly SHOULD he have said in answer to these questions? "The cartoons are accurate, Mohammed was a piece of sh*t"?

That would go over REALLY well with our Muslim allies like Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

I think a lot of people are overreacting to this statement, and most aren't even reading the whole thing.

[seastay]

The state department should agree with the Muslims that no images should be printed but for diffeent reasons; saying they are against the sensationalism and attention given to child molesters and ask if the pubic is comfortable with the fact that the prophet Muhammad married a six year old child, when he was 55 years old? Do you think this is a good story to tell children?

[ARealMothersSonForever]

we have talked about the importance of urging tolerance and appreciating differences and to respect the fact that many of -- millions and millions of people around the world would find these images

We must notify our government that we the people are not ready to become subservient and pay our dhimmi tax, and wear our dhimmi clothes. If this keeps up, the tree of liberty could get watered....

[xcamel]

I've been linking to your "gallery" to make the necessary point for a week now.

Here is another one:

notice the background pictures

[bill1952]

You're right. You're right. You are dealing with deeply-held beliefs and certainly, we have talked about the importance of urging tolerance and appreciating differences and to respect the fact that many of -- millions and millions of people around the world would find these images -- these particular images offensive

[Cindy]

Updated and ON THE NET...

JIHAD WATCH.org (BBC): "NORWEGIAN EMBASSY IN DAMASCUS TORCHED ALSO" (February 4, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org (AP): "DANISH EMBASSY IN DAMASCUS ABLAZE" (February 4, 2006)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.com: "E-CFR.ORG: CURRENT SITE OF THE 'EUROPEAN' COUNCIL FOR FATWA AND RESEARCH" (February 4, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "'you have started it, you are nurturing it and don't blame the muslims for their actions'" (February 4, 2006)

AFTENPOSTEN.no/english: "NORWAY USED AS TERROR BASE Islamic extremists are using Norway as a base for terrorist operations overseas, but the head of Norway's security police claims they're being watched." (February 3, 2006)

BRUSSELS JOURNAL.com: "'THE WAR IS ON'" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Yesterday (Thursday) Mullah Krekar, the alleged leader of the Islamist group Ansar al-Islam who has been living in Norway as a refugee since 1991, said that the publication of the Muhammad cartoons was a declaration of war. "The war has begun," he told Norwegian journalists. Mr Krekar said Muslims in Norway are preparing to fight. "It does not matter if the governments of Norway and Denmark apologize, the war is on.") (February 3, 2006)

AFTENPOSTEN.no/english: Aftenposten.no - Search Term: "KREKAR"

Google - Search Term: "KREKAR"

TrackingAlQaeda.blogspot.com: "EUROPEAN SITES HACKED BY MUSLIMS OUTRAGED OVER CARTOONS" (February 3, 2006)

MICHELLE MALKIN.com: "IN THEIR OWN WORDS" (February 3, 2006)

MICHELLE MALKIN.com: "THE 'INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ANGER'" (February 3, 2006)

THE COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG: "'We Want Blood on the Streets of England'"(February 3, 2006)

alghurabaa.co.uk: "Kill those who insult the Prophet Muhammad (saw)"

INFOVLAD.net: "BOYCOTTING DANISH PRODUCTS GOES ON" (February 3, 2006)

ISLAMONLINE.net: Cairo - "WARNINGS CARTOONS RISK VIOLENCE" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The blasphemous cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by a Danish daily and other European newspapers are risking to trigger acts of violence around the world, officials and commentators warn." (February 2, 2006)

THE COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG: "FABRICATED CARTOONS WORSENED DANISH CONTROVERSY" (February 2, 2006)

DAVIDS MEDIENKRITIK - blog: "WITH DENMARK: United Against Islamic Intolerance Time to Stand Up to Islama-Bullying: BUY DANISH!"

DAVIDS MEDIENKRITIK - blog: "DANISH CARTOONS: GERMAN JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION SAYS 'NO'...MAKE THAT 'YES'" (February 1, 2006)

THE COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG: "MUJAHIDEEN ARMY CALLS UPON FIGHTERS TO ATTACK DENMARK AND NORWAY" (January 31, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org (AFP): "FATWA AGAINST DANISH TROOPS" (January 31, 2006)

THE COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG: "DANISH LEFTIST GROUP OPENLY FUNDING TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS" -Posted by Olivier Guitta (January 29, 2006)

TrackingAlQueda.blogspot.com: "MUSLIMS BEGIN PING FLOOD AGAINST JYLLANDS-POSTEN" (January 29, 2006)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.com: "THE DANISH THREAT This latest threat from the 'Glory Brigades in Northern Europe' targets Denmark" (January 28, 2006)

"www.internet-haganah.com/hmedia/28jan06-denmark/index.htm" (January 28, 2006

TrackingAlQaeda.blogspot.com: "Denmark is next - BOLO Denmark!!!" (January 27, 2006)

"www.mohajroon.com/vb"

LittleGreenFootballs.com - Weblog: "The Cartoon Jihad" (January 27, 2006)

INFOVLAD.net: "NEXT TARGET - DENMARK?" (October 15, 2005)

[Supernatural]

Christians aren't supposed to be offended about the crucifix in a bottle of urine put on public display, financed with tax money provided by our own government.

But don't offend the "minorities", especially muslims, because, according to the same government, that would be wrong.

I must have gone down a rabbit hole, like "Alice in Wonderland" and wound up in the land of the insaned.

[indcons]

Has State Department surrendered to the muslims as yet?

Looks like Condi Rice has quite a bit of disciplining t do there.

[Cap Huff]

Rick Moran has an analysis of what he believes is going on here:

MORE LAZY REPORTING FROM THE MEDIA

He thinks it is probably lazy reporting.

But look at how AFP headlined a brief story on the subject:

US blasts cartoons of Prophet Mohammed

"These cartoons are indeed offensive to the beliefs of Muslims," State Department spokesman Justin Higgins said when queried about the furore sparked by the cartoons which first appeared in a Danish newspaper.

"We all fully recognize and respect freedom of the press and expression but it must be coupled with press responsibility," Higgins told AFP.

Notice that AFP creates the impression in the headline that the U.S. has BLASTED the cartoons as though we are trying to censore them. THIS STATEMENT FROM HIGGINS WAS GIVEN IN RESPONSE TO A QUERY AND IN NO WAY IS TRYING TO IMPLY THAT THEY SHOULD BE CENSORED.

Notice also in the Daily press briefing how the reporters kept trying to get MacCormack, the spokesman to say that the U.S. would take some action.

It is my impression that the press is trying to create a controversy, and I'm afraid that a lot of people may be jumping to the wrong conclusion about the U.S. official position. It is getting late where I live, and I may not be on the forum much longer tonight so I may be a while in making any responses. I expect to be back on Sunday sometime so

[processing please hold]

We must notify our government that we the people are not ready to become subservient and pay our dhimmi tax, and wear our dhimmi clothes. If this keeps up, the tree of liberty could get watered....

I did that already.

202-456-1111. WH comment line.

[Txsleuth]

THAT picture makes me physically ill....

[Cap Huff]

Please take a look at the links in my #12.

[Cap Huff]

That is not what he was trying to say.

[Cap Huff]

Please read the links in my post #12.

[prairiebreeze]

Thanks for posting this, I was just putting links on another thread. RightWing Nuthouse has the following observation:

So just where did the State Department get it wrong? They stand up for free speech. They recognize that the cartoons offended Muslims. They tell the idiots in the Middle East to look to their own portrayals of Jews and Christians before going off half cocked about the Mohamed cartoons. And they call upon everyone to settle down.

But all we got from press reports was the fact that the State Department seems to be condemning the Danes and other European publications for running the offending cartoons and an obligatory nod to the First Amendment.

And Powerline blog says:

McCormack's statement seems to me considerably closer to striking the correct balance than the press reports yesterday indicated, perhaps the best that could reasonably be hoped for under the circumstances.

Additionally, Little Green Footballs (and elsewhere) points out that in three different news wire reports, the same statements are attributed to three different people.

I know we'd all be shocked to discover our media had reported poorly, incompletely or tried to lead us all to the wrong conclusions, yesireee...

[YOUGOTIT]

Something is wrong with this. The Press Spokesperson for the State Department yesterday condemed the cartoons. She Said: "State Department press officer Janelle Hironimus said the cartoons of a hateful Islam were offensive"

So why would they change their tone and I do not believe the reporters questions either. Sounds like a bit of "pulling the leg".

[Cap Huff]

Yes, something is wrong. Please read what Rick Moran says about this "Janelle Hironimus." Follow the link in my post #12 about the lazy reporting.

I think the press ambushed some State Department people and spun up some statements (probably pretty innocuous) and tried to make it sound like the U.S. was BLASTING the cartoonists, and siding with the violent demonstrators.