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| Axis of Evil |
| Congressmen fly to Baghdad to have their pictures taken... |
| 2002-09-28 |
| Three U.S. Congressmen arrived in Baghdad Friday, September 27, 2002, to examine the humanitarian situation in the sanctions-hit country amid repeated war threats by U.S. President George W. Bush’s administration. "We want every diplomatic effort made to resolve this [crisis] without war," said Democrat Jim McDermott (WA). "We're sure we did something to bring on this crisis, and I just want to say that I'm sorry we did it, whatever it was..." "We have no interest in having war and we want our administration to pursue every avenue before war. It has to be the last option. And our opinion is that we do not think the United States should ever make a first strike." "We'd rather see several major American cities in rubble before that would happen, and we'd hesitate then..." "The result we want, we will not have it. The result people talk about is having democracy in the Middle East, but I don't think a war against Iraq is the way to start," McDermott said. "The way to start is, ummm... something else." McDermott acknowledged that he and his fellow traveling Democrats, David Bonior of Michigan - a strong supporter of Muslim causes - and Michael Thompson of California, represented a minority view in the United States. But "I have a very strong feeling about putting people into a war, especially a war where it is not clear what it is about, or why we are doing it. From my point of view, we should do everything we can to prevent war," he said. "Cuz we're, like, against war and stuff, and we think everybody should just be nice, and ain't Bush stoopid?" The trio's visit was the second to Iraq by anti-war U.S. lawmakers, West Virginia Democrat Nick Rahall having visited earlier this month. I remember reading about that. Wonder why he didn't put a press release on his website? The three Democrats flew into Baghdad from Amman on a Jordanian plane. "We talked to the [U.S.] State Department before we came and we have the necessary documents from them so we are perfectly within our rights," McDermott said. "I mean, it ain't like we're aiding and abetting anybody..." He said two non-profit groups, the Seattle-based Church Council and the Life Foundation of Detroit, "wanted us to come here and look at the humanitarian situation here in Iraq". |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #3 The latest joke going around WV is that the Iraqi were smart - they sent Rahall back. |
| Posted by: Joy 2002-09-28 20:54:20 |
| #2 Detroit has a large Arab-American population and Bonior has long been known as an apologist for the Arab cause. McDermott's ethics were exposed when he released an illegally taped Newt Gingrich/John Boehner cell call....please cancel all return flights til the JDAMS drop |
| Posted by: Frank G 2002-09-28 12:10:10 |
| #1 Will these fine fellows stay in one of the dictator's palaces, that were paid for by money that could have helped the "humanitarian situation"? |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2002-09-28 10:42:41 |