Lieberman attacks Dean for not supporting Israel enough.

[poskonig]

For those of you who believe Dean is AIPAC's bitch, get a load of this:

Lieberman Questions Dean on Middle East
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=4&u=/ap/20030907/ap_on_el_pr/lieberman_israel

excerpts:

"It's hard to say if this is a well thought out position," Lieberman said. "If it is, it is a major break in a half a century of American foreign policy. If it's not (well thought out), as a candidate for president, you've really got to think before you talk."

Lieberman, an orthodox Jew who has traveled extensively to the Middle East as a senator, said Israel has long been a vital U.S. ally and that the two countries have a special relationship that "is as real and necessary and beneficial to both as it has ever been."

Dean's comments came last Wednesday when he was speaking to a crowd of people at a Santa Fe coffee shop. He said it is not America's place "to take sides" in the conflict. And he added that there are an "enormous number" of Israeli settlements that must go.

..... ""It's up to them," he said, when asked how many settlements should be relinquished by the Israelis. "But I think the number 'enormous' will be unsettling to a lot of people in Israel."

[Khephra]

1. As long as a Democrat uses Democratic attacks in the primaries

I'm not going to bash them...

But with these comments and the "Dean Depression" comments that were made earlier I now wash my hands of Lieberman totally.

Fuck off Joe! Dean is supporting the only postion that's worked in the ME--The Clinton "don't take sides" postion.

[IndianaGreen]

27. I am waiting for the Lieberman defenders to spin this one

I am always amazed by their creativity!

[Deja Q]

2. So much for not asking the question

We don't want Lieberman to become President. The Israel/Palestinian issue is too much of a conflict of interest for him.

Dean is 100% correct and I'd stand behind him on that.

The US could observe and possibly get involved in an unbiased manner, but it is now obvious Lieberman (much like Bush*) just can't fill that role. (Earlier today I was going to ask if the Israel/Palestine situation would be a conflict of interest for him, and yup, it is.)

What's so special about the US connection to Israel anyway? Apart from the fact we believe in the same fairy stories (aka "religion")?

[IndianaGreen]

17. I am a leftwinger, yet I believe that Israel has the right to exist

I also believe that Israelis have the right to live in peace, free of terrorism.

The situation in the ME is difficult enough without having an ambitious demagogue like Lieberman embrace the most extremists views about the conflict, views that are not even endorsed by the State of Israel.

[wtmusic]

3. Desperation sometimes brings out the worst

in people.

Joe makes Joe-bashing so easy. Democrats are supposed to take the high road, remember?

[Khephra]

5. If Joe wants to take the low road, so be it

I can't wait until the ire of the Deanies get focused on him like a laser after these recent comments.

[Cha]

13. I love it!

"ire of the Deanies get focused on him like a laser after these recent comments."

[poskonig]

18. If we *pre-emptively* boo him, would the media try to Wellstone us?

I'm not sure, since it would be an amorphous crowd. It would definitely send a message.

[wtmusic]

20. Three hard-core Dean posts in a row!!

Dean-bashers, beware...

:grr:

[edward]

4. "a well thought out postition."

Hard to say when this was ever thought out(with Israel.)
Notice Joe doesn't say why the policy makes sense. Because it doen't.

[w13rd0]

6. Jebuz Joe...

...what the hell is wrong with the concept of being an "honest broker"? Once again, Joe Lieberman is doing the GOPs dirty work. I guess Terry slapping down the DLC wasn't good enough for Frum. Now they've instructed their tool Joe to throw away his candidacy "taking out" Dean, and he's following the script. I won't argue that the man is a Republican, his voting record for the most part says otherwise, but why is it that he so often finds himself being USED as a TOOL, and a rather blunt one at that, to do the dirty work of the GOP and his corporate contributors?

[Cha]

15. Zing!

"but why is it that he so often finds himself being USED as a TOOL, and a rather blunt one at that, to do the dirty work of the GOP and his corporate contributors"

[RogueTrooper]

7. Dean is doing quite well winning over a portions

of Lieberman's core constituency. I suspect the Lieberman campaign has finally noticed.

[JackSwift]

8. Lieberman is a republican plant

clearly he doesn't know what he is talking about either and ignores a long history of the US seesawing back and forth on how much to take Israel's side. Lieberman is also saying that we will not deal with the Palestinians fairly when he insists that we take Israel's side.

[Khephra]

16. "Lieberman is also saying that we will not deal with the Palestinians..."

I've stayed away from Lieberman's background like I would a toxic waste site when I've been critical of Lieberman...and this statement of yours is so true it's disturbing....Lieberman IS admitting that.

If he gets in office the Palestinians have no hope in the world of ever having a fair negotiator in the US under Joe. I can't believe it, but it's true by his own comments.

Fuck me....

[wtmusic]

23. Could $ be changing hands?

:tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat:

[Junkdrawer]

9. And THAT is why I will never support the Senator from Likud. n/t

[IndianaGreen]

12. Lieberman is to right of Likud

He is so far right, that the views he expressed today are more comparable to the late hate-monger Meir Kahane.

[Walt Starr]

10. So Dean wants to be an impartial arbiter in the conflict

and Lieberman says it's not well thought out?

:wtf:

We've been foursquare on the side of whatever Israel wants, Israel gets for nearly three years and matters have only gotten worse.

Fuck you, Joe Lieberman. No vote for you I don't care if you're the nominee AND you pick Clark or Dean as a running mate.

[IndianaGreen]

11. America is the only country that can play the role of peace broker

in the Middle East.

The increasingly fascistic Joe Lieberman just shitted on the likes of President Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Lieberman is not only bad, he is downright dangerous.

Lieberman is to the right of Ariel Sharon!

[ElkHunter]

14. If Joe Lieberman wants to help the Democratic party...

...then let him challenge Bush in the primaries for the Republican nomination. Sorry, but Woodrow Wilson died long ago and one was enough for this Democrat.

[Cha]

19. Welcome to DU!

[opihimoimoi]

21. Joe is really acting like he in the Pub Fold. Is he a Mole??

Or a Troll.??? Sure acting like one.

[wryter2000]

25. Exactly

He could do the US some good running as a Republican.

[Owl]

22. Go away Lieberman...

Please, just go away.....

- Owl

[Cha]

24. All these jabs at Dean by lieberman are just bringing the difference

between the two into sharper focus and energizing Dean's base even more!

So what?... lieberman thinks this is a winning strategy?

[IndianaGreen]

26. The question is, if Dean is the nominee, will Lieberman bolt to the GOP

Lieberman could lead the Democrats for Bush in 2004, all 4 of them!

[Cha]

28. You're right! lieberman isn't happy with the Dem Party now..he's

made that clear.

[ElkHunter]

29. And obviously...

...there are many of us Dems who are not pleased with him. As for leaving the party, that might not be a bad thing if he followed Jeffords path and became an independent, especially if the Dems could pick up some seats in the Senate. But having been the vice presidential candidate in 2000 there is no way that he'll leave the Dems anytime in the near future.