Patty Murray Claims Bin Laden Popular Because He "Built Schools"

The Columbian ^ | 12/20/2002 | Gregg Herrington

[LS]

.S. Sen. Patty Murray was in Vancouver on Wednesday challenging high school students to answer these questions:

What is behind terrorist Osama bin Laden's popularity in some parts of the world, and should the United States adopt his nation-building tactics?

Speaking at Columbia River High School, Murray, D-Wash., responded to questions from students, most about the war on terrorism or government spending for education.

Later Wednesday, Murray visited C-Tran headquarters and checked out a new bus.

Murray met at Columbia River with world history students and student government leaders. Across town, Hudson's Bay High School students participated via teleconference.

Murray concluded the session by challenging the students to consider alternatives to war.

"We've got to ask, why is this man (Osama bin Laden) so popular around the world?," said Murray, who faces re-election in 2004. "Why are people so supportive of him in many countries … that are riddled with poverty?

"He's been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day care facilities, building health care facilities, and the people are extremely grateful. We haven't done that.

"How would they look at us today if we had been there helping them with some of that rather than just being the people who are going to bomb in Iraq and go to Afghanistan?"

Murray said she doesn't know where she comes down on that guns-or-butter question, and building infrastructure in Third World countries would "cost a lot of money, and we have schools here and health care facilities here that are really hurting."

Be 'better neighbors'?

"War is expensive too," she said. "Your generation ought to be thinking about whether we should be better neighbors out in other countries so that they have a different vision of us.

"It is a debate I think we ought to have."

Murray was in the minority when the Senate voted 77-23 in October to give President Bush authority to use military force in confronting Saddam Hussein. The state's other senator, Democrat Maria Cantwell, voted for the resolution.

Murray opened Wednesday's event telling the students, "You'll be graduating into a world that is very difficult. … The economy is struggling. War in Iraq is a very real possibility in the short term" and could cost $200 billion even if it were to last only a few weeks.

The cost of waging war could result in cuts to domestic programs such as Pell grants for college students, she said.

[SamAdams76]

It appears that the 'Rats have opened a can of worms with the "gotcha" game. These comments are in my opinion far more inflammatory than those of Trent Lott. Let's hound her right out of office. Is there a Republican governor in her state?

[B Knotts]

Related thread from yesterday.

[B Knotts]

Nope. Democrat Gary Locke.

[cgbg]

It is too bad this dimwit wasn't alive when Stalin was around. She would have been very pleased by his "nation-building" and "good schools" as well.

This _is_ the Democratic Party today.

Let her voice be seen and heard on video from sea to shining sea.

And the Rats wonder why they have a _problem_ when it comes to foreign policy. ;-)

[Las Vegas Dave]

the Afghan woman being shot in the head in a soccer field

I guess that's O.K. if OBL built the soccer field?

[PISANO]

If Murray was a Conservative Republican this would be headline news for weeks..... But nothing will happen. You may NOT even hear about it anywhere BUT here or in a local newspaper.

[solo gringo]

Patty murrey just got cought up in the moment.She is trying to out commie Hillery and the rest of the left.She should quit the senate and be flogged in the public square,until she recants all this crap.

[solo gringo]

Patty murrey just got cought up in the moment.She is trying to out commie Hillery and the rest of the left.She should quit the senate and be flogged in the public square,until she recants all this crap.

[hchutch]

All we need is a Washington State version of Norm Coleman or someone like that, and Patty is TOAST! Jennifer Dunn, perhaps?

[B Knotts]

This is actually a dupe, but the one from yesterday has the original headline.

[ghost of nixon]

I'm certain that if Osama did fund any schools, they were the sort that did not admit women. This woman is an idiot.

[New Horizon]

Here's a graduate:

[B Knotts]

Drudge is running this as his main headline:

OH, MURRAY!
SENATOR CLAIMS BIN LADEN BUILT SCHOOLS,
ROADS IN THIRD WORLD; 'WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT'

[D. Brian Carter]

Total US Foreign Aid (Grants and Loan Assistance) FY 2000: $11.745 Billion

1999: $12.304 Billion 1998: $10.372 Billion 1997: $ 9.181 Billion 1996: $ 9.663 Billion 1995: $11.362 Billion 1994: $12.032 Billion 1993: $24.053 Billion

etc. etc. etc.... you get the point.

Total aid, 1945-2000: $364.348 Billion, give or take a few million. (very quick and sloppy math, please forgive any small errors)

If you want to break this down by regions, countries, years and other criteria, go here: <"US Overseas Loans and Grants Online>

Didn't the "Honorable" Senator vote on any of these appropriations?

[Bluntpoint]

The all time favorite class is "Gassing dogs like they are american infidels" 101.

[FourPeas]

"He's been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day care facilities, building health care facilities

Yea, sure, and Algore invented the internet.

[intolerancewillNOTbetolerated]

"They hate us ALL Sen. Murray, and given the chance they'd murder you and your progeny without so much thought as swatting a fly."

Another fine example of "useful idiot."

My question is, is no one with any sense running the schools hosting this idiot's agenda of poisoning young Americans with innaccurate anti-American hate? Does anyone bother to ask her where she thinks all the foreign aide tax dollars go, or do they sit there quietly while she tells kids it all goes to bombs to drop on the selfless Osama's public works projects?

Sometimes we we don't recognize the difference between freedom of speech and treason.

[Man of the Right]

Murray should be confronted directly regarding her blame America first rant to kids.

[FourPeas]

"There are crises in every one of our schools in this country," Murray said, and cutting spending on education has long-term deleterious effects.

Yet another gem. Every one? Without exception? Methinks there are more than a few administrators and school boards who would take exception with this statement.

[Uncle Miltie]

"He's been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day care facilities, building health care facilities, and the people are extremely grateful. We haven't done that." Ahem.

$2B / Year to Egypt. Result? Al-Zawahiri and the video elaboration on the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

Help free the Afghans from the totalitarian communist empire. Result? The Taliban, Bin-Laden and 9/11.

Trillions in oil money traded freely. Result? Thousands of Saudi funded Madrassahs teaching hate.

Billions in foreign aid, debt relief, and economic engagement with Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc. Result? Bombs in Yemen, Daniel Pearl, Bombs in Bali, etc.

Free the Kuwaitis and protect the Saudis from a tyrannical genocidal maniac. Result? Kuwaitis murdering Americans, and Saudis driving planes into buildings.

HELLO PATTY! Quit sniffing your tennis shoes and look at the real world. No favor we give them will go unpunished. The only thing left to stop the flood of homicidal maniacs is to KILL THEM FIRST.