Patty Murray statement about UBL being dscussed on FoxNews NOW

FoxNews

[syriacus]

Michael Swetnam is a guest

[syriacus]

Cal Thomas is host on O'Reilly Factor.

[RobRoy]

So, share with me. How's it playing?

[KevinDavis]

Details!!!!!!! I need details!

[Tigercap]

AFT (about frickin' time) someone started on this. THIS is a story the American people want to know about and care about. I know, I know, she's a 'rat and they're pretty much 'untouchable', but still....

[potlatch]

What Osama built mostly were the terrorist training camps all ove the place. He DID build schools!! To teach the Muslim faith of killing the Jews and Christians!!

[syriacus]

How's it playing?

Very, very, very "Fair-and-Balanced." Not very exciting, unfortunately.

I don't usually feel this way, but this time I wish that Cal Thomas were the kind of host to interrupt a guest. Cal is polite and honest. Swetnam turns out to be an apologist for Murray, as this AP article from last week indicates.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS...

An expert on terrorism, who co-wrote a book profiling bin laden and al-Qaida, said Murray's comments, published yesterday in the newspaper The Columbian, were on the mark. "That's kind of a generalization, but mostly accurate," Michael Swetnam, chairman of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies in Arlington, Va., said yesterday..

Tonight, too, Swetnam seemed to think Murray was correct, that maybe her words were taken out of context. I want to watch the rerun tonight, because I was unable to pay much attention to TV in the last hour. Maybe I missed something.

[mikehalll]

Gee, I don't like Murray or Bin Ladin, but I do recall that
post 9/11 he was described as a wealthy civil engineer who
prior to or in addition to his military involvement in the region had built a number of schools, clinics, etc. Are the two roles of being a lousy terriorist to us and a benefactor to his co-religionists mutually exclusive. I don't think so.

[syriacus]

Murray's comments got prime time notice tonight but I think her irresponsibility wasn't highlighted enough. Maybe someone else will carry the ball about that.

I hope she makes a public apology for her lack of sensitivity to UBL's victims.

[syriacus]

Are the two roles of being a lousy terriorist to us and a benefactor to his co-religionists mutually exclusive.

You're right. Hitler showed us that even bad guys can do nice things for the people whose favor they hope to 'buy.'

I guess these questions remain.

• Is Murray blaming the US for what UBL did to us?
• Is she, in effect, saying that the survivors of 9/11 should blame the US rather than UBL?
• How much money does Murray think we need to pour into other countries before are permitted to shed the "Ugly American" image and earn the right to not be murdered.

[KevinDavis]

No she will get away with it.

[Eaker]

or in addition to his military involvement in the region had built a number of schools, clinics, etc.

My company builds lots of stuff. We get PAID to do it. His family owns a construction company. It is called business, not a humanitarian effort.

Stay safe; stay armed.

[syriacus]

No she will get away with it

You are probably right. The Republicans are not good at making Democrats "pay" for their sneaky politicizations of sad situations.

[Wondering in Wyoming]

Now is not the time to hold her to accounts. She'd have
the entire Democratic machine behind her.
Let it wait until she's up for re-election in 2004,
Then they'll be occupied with elections everywhere and
she'll have to answer for herself to the voters.

[moneyrunner]

I e-mailed Swetnam the following message:

I am preparing an analysis of Patty Murray's comments regarding Osama Bin Laden for an on-line news and analysis service.

She is quoted as stating that the reason for his popularity throughout the world is due to his philanthropic efforts. Senator Murray asked a group of high school students: "We've got to ask, why is this man so popular around the world?" To quote the Washington Post, Senator Murray claims his popularity is based on the fact that he has been "building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day-care facilities, building health care facilities."

In her defense of her reasoning, Mr. Swetnam is quoted as saying that Senator Murray is correct in her analysis.

Can I have your confirmation that Mr. Swetnam believes that the key to OBL popularity is due to his construction of schools, infrastructure, day care facilities and health care facilities?

Your earliest reply would be appreciated. I have a Friday 12/27 deadline.

[Spunky]

Patty Murray is real popular over here. Taliban Online
These idiots, McDermott and Murray are representing my state.
How I wish the Eastside could outnumber the Westside. :-(

[syriacus]

Now is not the time to hold her to accounts. She'd have the entire Democratic machine behind her. Let it wait until she's up for re-election in 2004

Most likely you are right.
Patience should be the byword when dealing with Prattling Patty.

[bigfootbob]

Good advice

[syriacus]

I noticed these words at the website you linked to, Taliban Online.

SEATTLE – Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., told a group of high-school students in her state that the U.S. should adopt Osama bin Laden's nation-building tactics.
"We've got to ask, why is this man so popular around the world?" said Murray, according to the Vancouver Columbian newspaper. "Why are people so supportive of him in many countries that are riddled with poverty?"

Murray also says

"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..."

Murray is sending mixed messages....Does she want us to help the poor people in Iraq, or not?

• Does Murray think we should ignore "poverty-riddled" Iraq?
• Does Murray think we should "nation build" in Iraq?
• How does Murray think we can "nation build" in Iraq if Saddam is in power?

[MissBaby]

I just saw that she was being discussed on a taliban website too, that her comments are being held up in support of our enemies.

You can find link here