And I am not talking about the UN World Summit, which itself should offer some fireworks.
No; on my way to work this morning I saw a little notice in the free morning paper that there would be a debate on the Iraq war tonight at Baruch. Looked it up and found the link.
Christopher Hitchens and George Galloway, moderated by Amy Goodman. I anticipate that this will be quite a session. Recall last time these two met:
When the anti-war Respect MP for Bethnal Green visited Washington earlier this summer to deliver a lecture on Iraq to a gobsmacked Senate and to denounce allegations made against him by Republican senators, he briefly exchanged verbal fisticuffs with the pro-war Hitchens, and accused him of being a “drink-sodden former Trotskyist popinjay”.
That, of course, was last May when Galloway came to Senator ‘UN-killer’ Norm Coleman’s hearings on the Oil-for-food programme. It’s well worth revisiting the smack-down that Galloway gave the committee. Here’s the old Crooks & Liars link to his testimony. It still gives me goose bumps to listen to. This is a guy that does not take any BS.
A couple of choice quotes:
# “Senator [Norm Coleman, committee chairman], this is the mother of all smoke screens. You are trying to divert attention from the crimes that you supported from the theft of billions of dollars of Iraq’s wealth.”
# “You have nothing on me Senator [Coleman], except my name on lists of names in Iraq, many of which were drawn up after the installation of your puppet government in Iraq.”
# “Senator [Coleman], in everything I said about Iraq I turned out to be right and you turned out to be wrong and 100,000 have paid with their lives, 1,600 of them American soldiers sent to their deaths on a pack of lies.”
Any other tribbers in the NYC-vicinity interested in this?
I’ll be there and if you’re looking for the company of someone like minded, look for this guy.
I only saw this just now (4:30 p.m.), so unfortunately I don’t think I can make it on such short notice. Are you planning to attend? If so, I hope that you’ll post something about the evening.
Perhaps they’ll address this development out of Iraq today (about which I diaried elsewhere), via Reuters. Today, the Iraqi Minister of Justice
A discussion between Galloway and Hitchens regarding the immunity issue could generate a few extra sparks.
By the way, when I read your diary title, I thought that maybe it was a reference to Sparks Steak House, since it’s only just down the block from the UN. President Jacques Chirac dined there a few years ago, but that was nowhere near as (in)famous as the assassinations of Paul Castellano and Thomas Billotti which took place there nearly 20 years ago.
Too bad, TM.
My PC crashed this afternoon, so I’m just back on. Heading down there now and will try to take notes & post later tonight.
Should be interesting.
Sorry PO,
see my comment in Susan’s story on the front page. I had not seen any publicity for this event until I saw the little notice in amNY this morning. Nor any mention on the blogs. But it was packed and many more wanting to get in. Missed it – bummer.