Posted on 12/06/2011 9:06:13 AM PST by ColdOne
Three presidential candidates are calling on President Obama to fire the U.S. ambassador to Belgium after comments he made on Israel caused a stir:
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich all say Ambassador Howard Gutman should be fired for remarks made last week at a conference in Brussels.??Gutman - who mentioned in his address that his father had survived the Holocaust - told the gathering he had witnessed hatred against Jews as a result of Israeli-Palestinian tensions.
"Throughout Europe, there is significant anger and resentment and, yes, perhaps sometimes hatred and indeed sometimes and all too growing intimidation and violence directed at Jews generally as a result of the continuing tensions between Israel and the Palestinian territories and other Arab neighbors in the Middle East," Gutman said.
The State Department said yesterday that Gutman would remain in his post. Gutman's remarks come the same weekend that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta chided Israel over its growing isolation in the international sphere.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
“Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich all say Ambassador Howard Gutman should be fired for remarks made last week...”
What am I missing in his statements??
I have the same question. I fail to comprehend anything negative in the reported statement.
Anti-Semitism has a long history in Europe. By saying it’s because of Israel the ambassador is blaming it on the victim.
Maybe he said more, but it sounds to me like he’s blaming most of it on Palestinians and Arabs.
“I fail to comprehend anything negative in the reported statement.”
There is nothing controversial in the excerpted statement, so Politico makes Romney, Perry and Gingrich seem to be unjustified in their condemnation of Gutman. However, if you read further into the actual article that the statement is excerpted from, you will see that Gutman blames the Israelis at least partly for the resentment in Europe:
“It is the area where every new settlement announced in Israel, every rocket shot over a border or suicide bomber on a bus, and every retaliatory military strike exacerbates the problem and provides a setback here in Europe for those fighting hatred and bigotry here in Europe,” Gutman said.
Freedom of Speech.
Somethings are more sensitive than others, still his truth is his truth. I agree with him Israel if being showered with hatred remarks around the world. Unjustly.
Political correctness is becoming more every day ...
the death of freedom.
“Truth is truth. Since when is a man unable to speak truth in his life without fear of censure?”
If I made a statement at an event covered by the press which contradicted my employer’s stated policy, I would expect to be fired regardless of the truth or falsity of my statement.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.