Posted on 12/29/2002 12:17:06 AM PST by DocFarmer
Sen. Patty Murray had the guts to raise an important question about the popularity of Osama bin Laden in some parts of the world.
At a time when America still hasn't started a review of the Sept. 11 attack, Washington state's senior senator showed more willingness to tackle needed inquiries than the federal government as a whole. If we want to assure a triumph over bin Laden and those who have twisted a religion to their own hateful purposes, we better be able to act like Americans of previous generations and work diligently to know our enemies.
Murray's remarks last week to an honors class at a Vancouver high school deserve good marks for tackling that tough assignment, and the ensuing debate across the state and even the nation fits American tradition.
Generally, Murray was right about bin Laden's activities in poverty-stricken Muslim regions. He has built roads in Afghanistan and schools in Pakistan, for instance. One news report refers to a Pentagon fact sheet that mentioned bin Laden importing heavy equipment used in hospital construction, which seems to back up Murray's reference to health care facilities. While her statement about bin Laden providing day care facilities makes little sense, there is apparently a long-standing rumor that he built an orphanage.
Murray spoke in broad, even overstated, terms about the lack of U.S. foreign aid in the region. But she nailed the underlying reality: We could do a lot better helping the poor in central Asia and Africa.
On balance, Murray did OK on the basic facts. But she deserves to be challenged on her apparent belief that bin Laden's popularity derives from treating poor people well.
Most of his support, we believe, stems not from any good works but from al Qaida's murderous attacks on Americans and others, including Muslims from many countries. Her discussion with the honors class would have been more enlightening if she had at least raised that possibility as she concluded her talk.
But her remarks and school visit certainly raised the level of thinking among the students. And the discussion that has developed on talk radio and in letters columns is, in most respects, worth having.
Even in a war, a democracy should be strong enough to allow healthy debates about the nature of its foes. During World War II, America launched massive efforts to understand Japan's political psychology -- and used the results in crafting propaganda and diplomatic strategies. Books about Japan and Germany were widely published.
This state, with its sharp east-west political differences, is particularly fertile ground for healthy argument about any aspect of the war on terrorism. As a poll conducted recently for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer showed, the Seattle area is considerably more skeptical about military action against Iraq than the rest of the state.
Is the debate producing some political discomfort for Murray? Yes, and that's fine, although some of the criticism has been hot air. Washington state GOP Chairman Chris Vance and conservative talk show commentator Rush Limbaugh called on her to apologize. For speaking frankly about how America is perceived by enemies? That's not a matter for apology. Not in America.
Beyond the spin and the blatant attempts to manufacture a political issue, there's still value in the debate. It's important -- vitally so -- to talk about the nature of our enemies and how we most effectively respond to their murderous assaults.
That's exactly the discussion she deliberately stirred in a Vancouver class. And now the debate has spread much more widely. Good for Murray.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.nwsource.com ...
I don't recall the Seattle PI giving a pass to another Senator suffering from Foot-in-Mouth Disease......
"Sen. Trent Lott had the guts to raise an important question about the popularity of Strom Thurman in 1948 in some parts of the America."
Good that the leftist bee-itch is catching some crap. Afterall she did throw the BS out first.
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Maybe nobody will notice her egregious and inflammatory screw up....
You got to understand that the PI is the same newspaper that gave an editorial recommendation to Congressman Jay Inslee, when the Seattle Times and the Bellvue Eastside Journal both endorsed his opponent. The PI came out and defended McDermott, when he became a poster boy for those who want to kill Americans.
An interesting poll fact that has people's panties in a bunch, it that the majority of people in Seattle oppose war with Iraqu, but that the majority of the people in the rest of the state favor war with Iragu.
Seattle and the PI are out of touch with the rest of the state and with much of American.
I have just read your editorial with great interest and at the same time absolute disgust and shock.
Sen. Patty Murray's comments will do nothing to foster debate and help Americans to understand what they up against. What they do is to mislead and confuse.
Seeing first hand the so called "charity work" that Senator Murray claims Osama Bin Laden has done will open your eyes to the truth.
Lauding a terrorist and murderer, whom the United States is at war with is absolutely disgusting, shameful and perhaps treasonous.
A simple question. Would your paper have lauded Adolph Hitler during World War 2 for building the autobahn and bringing prosperity to Germans after World War 1?
The problem is that the majority of Americans have absolutely no idea what they are up against. What you are facing is an idealogical epidemic.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/101383_murrayed.shtml
I would be honored to host any of your editorial staff here and welcome them to Malaysia. I would take them on a tour of Osama Bin Laden's so called "day care" centres and schools. Trust me when I say that you will be shocked beyond belief.
What an offer!! Come and see for yourself !! Do you really want to see and report the truth???
You will see school age children from both rich and poor families who become brainwashed using a combination of techniques including sleep deprivation, poor diet and beatings.
You will see children who over months are taught nothing but hatred day and night, who get no more than three or four hours of sleep a night and subsist on a daily diet than consist of a small amount of rice, one hard boiled egg and a handful of dried fish a day.
Osama bin Laden and his associates in South East Asia build thousands of these madrassas (religious boarding schools) that serve no other purpose than to spread an idealogy of hatred.
Osama bin Laden's so called "charity" as described by Senator Murray is only to serve his own purpose and that is to establish "Darul Ehsan" which is Islamic prophecy.
What Senator Murray describes and love would be better described as Stockholm's Syndrome.
Regards,
LHM
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Yes he did. The roads made it easier to get recruits in and out of his terrorism training camps which were fed by his wahhabi schools in Pakistan that teach hatred for Christians and the west.
I'm also sure Sen. Murray and the Seattle PI are proud of Bin Laden's investment partner the Taliban who killed women and children for sport, funded their activity by providing opium to western nations, and enforced Islamic law upon its citizens that pushed Afghanistan back to the 12th century.
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