Dean defends Middle East remarks

[Resistance]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/09/10/elec04.prez.dean.mideast/index.html

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Under fire for saying that the United States should be even-handed in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, 2004 Democratic presidential front-runner Howard Dean Wednesday said he would not abandon the long-standing policy of strong U.S. support for Israel.

"We do have a special relationship with Israel. We would defend Israel if necessary. I think that is well-known," he told CNN. "However, we are also the only country capable of bringing peace to the Middle East, and when we sit at the negotiating table, we do have to have the trust of both sides or we will never succeed."

Dean also said he would "strongly speak out against violence of any kind in the Middle East. That's what I mean by being even-handed."

"You must condemn all civilian killings, including any terrorist attacks," he said.

However, in retrospect, Dean said he should not have used the term "even-handed."

__________________

Did he really say "condemn all civilian killings"? Nah I am sure he meant to say all Israeli civilian killings. No Democrat would dare condemn the killings of Palestinian civilians.

[The Magistrate]

1. Gov. Dean's Position, Mr. Resistance

Does not seem all that different from mine.

[Darranar]

3. I am wondering, Mr. Magistrate...

Do you have connections to AIPAC? i sincerely doubt it. governor Dean does.

[The Magistrate]

6. Competence In A Politician, My Friend

Consists in taking people's money and doing as you please.

This statement is hardly one the hard-line supporters of Israel would be fond of, but it is essential to solving the situation. It does seperate him somewhat from the general run of Democratic candidates just now. My recollection is Rep. Kucinich is your favorite, and he has probably gone farther in such expression, but he does not seem to me to have a prayer in the general election. Gov. Dean, however, is beginning to make a much more favorable impression on me than he did initially.

[Darranar]

7. Well, it worries me...

I ignored many of the threads about Dean and Sharon a while ago, because I saw quite a bit of it as worthless flamebait, but now i am going to go back and find them.

The approach Governer Dean advocates is indeed the right one; it would gladden my heart if I knew that he was sincere. It is important to remember that Bush has publicly advocated a Palestinian state; we have seen little real action from him towards that goal.

[bemildred]

23. In much the same way that it was stupid

of Mr. Clinton to get that hummer from an intern;
it would be stupid of Mr. Dean to pick a fight with
the Israel lobby in the USA at any point prior to
his election. It would just provide ammunition to his
opponents, who, at this point, are busily looking for
anything they can use.

It seems likely to me that this was the point of Mr.
Liebermans's "attack".

It worries me too, but he seems a pragmatic type, and
he seems to have wit and nerve. I'm not going to fault
him at this point for avoiding dumb arguments with
contentious people.

[XEON]

2. Our pet...

tapeworm. So loyal.

[Darranar]

4. Why does he need to defend them?

What has our world come to, when justice is criticized?

[el_gato]

5. I think we should end all funding of Isreal

so we should at the very least be "even-handed"
next people are gonna have to take an oath to be a
servant of JINSA and AIPAC or they'll be burned at the stake

[Herschel]

8. Condemning all civilian killings

is unacceptable. There will be Palestinian civilians killed when Israel defends herself. Most Americans and most Democrats understand this.

[Resistance]

9. Herschel ....

Statements like yours truly make me wonder: am I the radical? -- or is it mainstream Democrats that think like this who are the extremists? I don't expect you to understand what I mean. Just kinda thinking out loud.

[Herschel]

11. You are in conflict with the Democratic party

when you do not recognize the need for Israel's defense and collateral damage. I will leave it at that.

[Resistance]

12. may I ask an off-topic question

Are you high?

[tinnypriv]

14. LOL

Best. Post. Ever.

:thumbsup:

[Herschel]

17. How dare you

Apologize.

[Resistance]

18. oh come on

it was just a joke. If it offended you so terribly, then I do apologize.

[Herschel]

19. Accepted

I am grateful to see some civility in you.

[Andromeda]

24. That kind of comment

is very disrepectfull but then you knew that, didn't you? I'm surprised that you get away with it.

[Darranar]

15. The "need" for collateral damage? n/t

n/t

[Forkboy]

22. Sickening

yet when I call him on it I get warned :shrug:

[Equinox]

20. Herschel,

I haven't the words.

:eyes:

[Darranar]

10. It's unnacceptable...

to condemn lack of regard on the Israeli part for civilian deaths? It's unnacceptable to condemn unjust and pointless collective punishment? It's unacceptable to criticize attacks on terrorists which kill innocent bystanders and don't accomplish much for israeli security?

Is it unacceptable to condemn the IDF for "collateral damage" when it could have been avoided? Is it unnacceptable to criticize Israeli policy regarding the settlements and other Israeli policies that simply harm the Palestinian populace?

[Herschel]

13. There are points to Israel's actions

in the territories. America and the Democratic party stand firmly behind these actions you condemn.

[Darranar]

16. Ahh...

so you support unjust and pointless collective punishment? or are you about to tell me that blowing up an apartment building wasn't collective punishment? Or, for that matter, engaging in massive reprisals with little or no concern for civilian life? Not to mention building a gigantic wall on the Palestinians' land.

[DuctapeFatwa]

25. Basically, from the standpoint of American politics, yes, it is

Republicans and Democrats don't really differ on that.

Unconditional support, unlimited funding, and no criticism of anything beyond the occasional "unhelpful," and even that is pushing the envelope.

It is not a policy that is in the best interests of ordinary Americans or ordinary Israelis, let alone Palestinians.

[Lithos]

26. Comdemning all civilian killings

Then by that logic, the deaths of any Israeli or International civilians when the IDF is targeted is perfectly acceptable.

While the civilian population will be (unfortunately) brought directly into a war, it is incumbent on the engaged militaries to minimize the impact.

Both sides need to admit their strategic and tactical failures and address the need to improve the situation.

L-

[jos]

21. Unfortunately

Dean must backtrack to some extent or have AIPAC as an enemy. He knows what happened to McKinney and Hilliard, among others. If he wants to win, he can't be "too evenhanded." It's a sad, but true, fact of Democratic Party political life. Hopefully, the next administration will change that.