Bush calls Danish PM with support in cartoon row

Reuters ^ | Febuary 7 2006

[jmc1969]

U.S. President George W. Bush called Denmark's prime minister on Tuesday to voice support for the Nordic country, whose embassies are the target of violent protests over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.

"I am happy to inform you that just a few minutes ago, President Bush called me to express support and solidarity with Denmark in the light of the violence against Danish and other diplomatic missions," said Prime Minister Rasmussen.

"We agreed that the way ahead is through dialogue and tolerance, not violence," Rasmussen told a news conference.

[Andy from Beaverton]

 

[LongElegantLegs]

About time.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com

[TomServo]

Did he clear this with the State Department first?

/sarcasm...

[Capt. Tom]

"We agreed that the way ahead is through dialogue and tolerance, not violence," Rasmussen told a news conference

Since Islam is a religion of peace and we all worship the same God that is the approach to take. - Tom

[RedBloodedAmerican]

[giobruno]

The Muslims can barely conceal their bigotry, violence, intolerance, and hatred (of others and each other) long enough to broker any kind of deal; any number of things can set them off on an irrational rampage, as the PLO demonstrated repeatedly over the past decade. As a group, they cannot easily get ahead because they are so subject to crazy religious outbursts that ruin most of their progress. Islam is a cult, and a very violent one; I see no reason to understand it differently. I know what W's formal position needs to be, but I see this as just another step toward the war against Islam the West really needs to fight and fight now.

[RexBeach]

Have Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck called the PM yet to express their support?

[SmoothTalker]

About time. I have been very disapointed with the wishy washy response from the US government so far.

[Republican Red]

I heard an interview with a State Department spokesman on Laura Ingraham earlier (out in the car doing errands). The interviewer asked why the US was supporting the Muslims and not condoning the violence or standing up for freedom of the press. The spokesman replied that the initial statement made by some other guy at State was worded very badly and he could understand why people got the wrong impression but that he tried to correct the response later in his press briefing that afternoon. I have only heard reported that the US was supporting the Muslim cause.

I looked up the State Department press briefing for yesterday and this was the exchange:

QUESTION: Can I just follow up on that? I mean, you have -- am I right in saying -- condemned the publication, criticized the publication of the cartoons, but what about free speech and --

MR. MCCORMACK: I'm not sure that that's what was said, Jonathan. I think we've said that we understood why many Muslims found the cartoons offensive. We found -- we talked about the fact that we found, on Friday, the cartoons offensive. But we also spoke out very clearly in support of freedom of the press. As to what appears in newspapers, what is broadcast over the air waves, those are decisions in free countries for a free media to make, for journalists as well as editors to make. So just you can finish your question but I just wanted to make clear what it is that we said on Friday.

QUESTION: I mean, is there anything that you can do to support countries like Denmark that are facing these acts of violence?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, we put -- the White House put out a statement over the weekend talking about our support for the Danish Prime Minister and the statements that he has made on the subject. Secretary Rice has also spoken with the Danish and Norwegian foreign ministers over the weekend in the wake of the attacks on their embassy as well. What we can do is to speak out very clearly in support of freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and urge understanding and tolerance, tolerance not violence. And I think that is what you're hearing from many quarters around the world concerning this issue.

[duckman]

This will bring out all the crazies in Iraq. IMHO

[jw777]

That divider, Bush. Damn him says Nancy Pelosi. LOL

[russesjunjee]

Islam is a kooky bird that poops in its own nest...the really scary thing is that its determined to poop in everyone else's nest as well.

[Mr. Mojo]

I have been very disapointed with the wishy washy response from the US government so far.

As usual, the U.S. gov't has been near paralyzed by the fear of losing Islamist "hearts and minds."

[ClaireSolt]

I, for one, am not surprised that people long oppressed and denied freedom would not be surefooted when they are first freed.

[prairiebreeze]

That's correct. The initial reporting of the State Depts statement conveniently left out their expressions of support of free speech. It came across as only supporting the muslim position. Intentional misleading of the public by the press, surprise, surprise.

[TomServo]

Thanks for pinging me to this, Prairie. And thanks to RR for posting it. Much appreciated..

[debg]

How I'd like to see support - take whatever aid we were giving to the Palis and give it to Denmark.

[Sometimes A River]

"We agreed that the way ahead is through dialogue..."

No actually, dialogue is NOT the "way ahead."

Deportation is.