This is probably this first time in my life where I have been 100% behind the Republicans on an issue. I am ashamed of the Democrats’ efforts to prevent Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki from addressing Congress.
House Democrats on Monday crafted a letter to Hastert urging him to cancel the speech by al-Maliki to the chamber. The letter, which was being circulated for signatures, argues that if the Iraqi leader’s positions are at odds with U.S. foreign policy goals then he should not be given the honor of giving an address from the speaker’s podium.
“In recent months there have been extensive reports indicating that al-Maliki and many in the Iraqi leadership are increasingly influenced by the government in Iran. Further, they have expressed support of terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, the latter of which was responsible for the death of 241 United States Marines in Beirut. The House should not allow an address from any world leader who has taken such action,” the letter reads.
“We are unaware of any prior instance where a world leader who actively worked against the interests of the United States was afforded such an honor. We urge you to cancel the address,” the letter concludes.
Nancy Pelosi was more to the point:
“Unless Mr. Maliki disavows his critical comments of Israel and condemns terrorism, it is inappropriate to honor him with a joint meeting of Congress,” Pelosi, D-Calif., said.
This is now a game of proving who is a better friend to Israel. I think Hastert’s response was spot on.
Hastert, R-Ill., told reporters that even if al-Maliki doesn’t apologize for earlier comments condemning Israel for its assault on Hezbollah terrorist targets in Lebanon, the prime minister “should address Congress. … The U.S. has 130,000 troops [in Iraq]” and Washington must maintain a dialogue with the Iraqi government.
Al-Maliki’s comments will “be part of that dialogue … and we should all, on a bipartisan basis, be there to engage him.”
James Zogby, of the Arab-American Institute, also stated the obvious.
“It is in the interest of the United States to have a leader in Iraq who will have standing among his people, and asking al-Maliki to repudiate his comments seriously erodes his ability to lead Iraq during these difficult times,” Zogby said. “Canceling al-Maliki’s speech would be seen as an insult in Iraq with potentially grave consequences. We should not be playing politics with 130,000 US troops at risk.”
That is exactly what the Democrats are doing. There are playing politics and trying to outflank the Republicans by appearing to be tougher on terrorism and stronger supporters of Israel. With a foreign head of state in Washington, a man whose government is at grave risk of collapsing, a man who represents our only hope for leaving Iraq anytime soon with anything resembling some dignity, the Democrats choose to bully him around and score some points. It’s utterly reprehensible. And it’s also wrong on the issues. With the whole world crying out for Israel to use some restraint in Lebanon, now is not the time to demand an Arab leader to swear fealty to Israel. (Is there ever a time?)
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada was joined by Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin Tuesday in revealing a letter to al-Maliki asking him to denounce Hezbollah.
“Your statements are very troubling. Your failure to condemn Hezbollah’s aggression and recognize Israel’s right to defend itself raise serious questions about whether Iraq under your leadership can play a constructive role in resolving the current crisis and bringing stability to the Middle East,” the letter reads. “It is imperative that the U.S. Congress and the world know immediately whether you support or condemn Hezbollah’s acts of terrorism.”
“Addressing a joint session of Congress and standing at the speaker’s podium is a high honor. It has been bestowed upon those who have embraced fundamental values of liberty and freedom,” Reid said.
Schumer and Durbin stopped short of saying they would boycott the joint address to Congress, indicated they would strongly consider not attending.
Here’s a message to Schumer, Reid, and Durbin. Forget politics for a second, you idiots. What good does it do to make al-Maliki, a devout Shi’ite Muslim, condemn the Shi’ite militia that is currently at war with Israel? All that does it is reduce his credibility within Iraq and make the government there less popular. It’s not like al-Maliki is going to change anyone’s mind about Hezbollah. Threatening to boycott his speech is not only rude, but stupid, and it does undermine our country’s, admittedly disastrous, foreign policy. And it does it in a wholly unconstructive way.
The Democrats should look at what al-Maliki said more recently:
“What we’re trying to do is to stop the killing and destruction and then we leave the room and the way for the international and diplomatic efforts and international organizations to play the role to be there.
“I’m talking here about the approach that should be used in order to stop this process of promoting hatred. There has to be superior decisions coming from above in order to protect these experiments, particularly democratic experiments, that should be protected by those who are trying to oppose it,” he added.
The decision to attack al-Maliki for his failure to condemn Hezbollah and his criticism of Israel (a criticism, btw, that is not at all out of the mainstream of world opinion) is not a ‘superior’ decision. It’s harebrained.
It’s the exact kind of tactic that has been used over and over again by the Bush administration to erase nuance, cloud over difficult issues and decisions, and lead our country astray.
I completely repudiate the Democratic leadership’s decision to make this political fight. It lacks any sense of statesmanship, any strategic thinking, any class, and any common sense. We will not advance the foreign policy debate in this country by engaging in a fight to see who can be more uncritically supportive of Israel, when Israel is taking highly risky, and highly dubious actions that do not at all dovetail with what our foreign policy goals should be.
Israel just invaded Lebanon with no plan for retreat other than demanding an international force to bail them out. They essentially created an intractable and destabilizing situation and are trying to force the international community to save them from their recklessness. If we cannot be critical of that decision, then we can’t be critical of Israel at all, and we will be led wherever they want to take us. That’s not leadership. It’s not wise. The Dems should be ashamed of themselves.
