Posted on 09/08/2008 1:07:52 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
JERUSALEM The Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist organizations have "legitimate claims" that are being "weakened" by the violence the terror groups carry out, Sen. Barack Obama stated in an interview today with the New York Times.
Speaking with columnist David Brooks, Obama said the U.S. needs a foreign policy that "looks at the root causes of problems and dangers."
The presidential candidate compared Hezbollah to Hamas, stating they both need to be compelled to understand that "they're going down a blind alley with violence that weakens their legitimate claims."
Brooks was speaking to Obama for clarification on an earlier statement the Illinois senator made implying Lebanese militias should be tempered with enticements.
Regarding Hezbollah, Obama earlier declared: "It's time to engage in diplomatic efforts to help build a new Lebanese consensus that focuses on electoral reform, an end to the current corrupt patronage system, and the development of the economy that provides for a fair distribution of services, opportunities and employment."
Brooks took issue with that statement, writing it has the "whiff" of "appeasement."
"Is Obama naïve enough to think that an extremist ideological organization like Hezbollah can be mollified with a less corrupt patronage system and some electoral reform?" asked Brooks, who said he called Obama today to clarify his remarks.
Obama immediately affirmed Hezbollah is "not a legitimate political party." Instead, "It's a destabilizing organization by any common-sense standard. This wouldnt happen without the support of Iran and Syria."
He continued by stating Hamas and Hezbollah violence weakens the groups' "legitimate claims."
(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
WTF! Oh man, he’s tanking big time. I bet Billary are laughing their butts off.
LLS
Not after this flub, especially since he has a LONG standing connenction to an avowed terrorist.
loose cannon alert... --> Obama
Good grief! There is nothing legitimate whatsoever about terrorist groups. People groups have legitimate claims, at least from their point of view; but terrorist groups? I’m afraid there’s nothing legitimate, in a civilized conversation or debate, about expressing your claims via terror. That alone DELEGITIMIZES any claims they might otherwise have had.
It’s like saying that a burglar who feels entitled to what is in my house interferes with those legitimate claims by breaking in. In fact, that sounds kinda like OJ’s defense in his present trial.
A middle schooler could beat this guy in a debate.
They may have legitimate claims but they are using violence and terror to solve their problems. No sympathy from me.
Keep him talking.
Baraq O’Bammy unscripted is his own worst enemy.
Forgive me, but Obama here doesn’t sound much different than what’s being uttered by Foggy Bottom right now under the Bush Administration.
Obama thinks we should simply sit down with terrorists, ask what they want, give it to them, and we’ll all be happy. Sadly, a Jewish friend said the same thing, speaking of Israel. If she’d just sit down, ask what Hamas/Hezbollah want, barter a little, everything would be hunky dory. He did say Israel had a right to exist. Somewhere.
They’re quoting a New York Times interview, so who knows?
Oh my God, there is a God and he blessed us with an imbecile running for president.
> He continued by stating Hamas and Hezbollah violence
> weakens the groups’ “legitimate claims.”
Yes, following are some of their “legitimate claims”, right out of the Hamas Charter, visible in all its glorious splendor at this link.
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/mideast/hamas.htm
“Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”
“There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors.”
Oh my God, there is a God and he blessed us with an imbecile running for president.
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