Al Gore is once again visiting overseas so it’s time for him to perform his specialty; over the top, exaggerated, hysterical anti-American rhetoric with a healthy dose of Bush bashing to boot.
I wrote here about the ex-Vice President and TV mogul wannabe and his trip to Sweden where the inventor of the internet daydreamed about what the world would have been like if only he had been elected in 2000 instead of George Bush.
Not to be outdone, this time Gore is in Saudi Arabia groveling at the feet of the Sheiks of Araby by pandering to their most base notions of the United States and feeding their paranoia about Washington:
Former Vice President Al Gore told a mainly Saudi audience on Sunday that the U.S. government committed “terrible abuses” against Arabs after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and that most Americans did not support such treatment.Gore said Arabs had been “indiscriminately rounded up” and held in “unforgivable” conditions. The former vice president said the Bush administration was playing into al-Qaida’s hands by routinely blocking Saudi visa applications.
Please note that our Creepy Veepy is talking about the round up of Muslim dissidents that occurred following 9/11. If your memory is a little hazy, let me refresh it for you. It was a great time. We rode our horses through Dearborn, Michigan lassoing any Arab who dared show his face, penned them up in cattle cars, and then drove them to that secret detention center in Utah where rabid Mormons tried to convert the prisoners to Christianity.
Or…the ex-model for the book Love Story is lying through his teeth.
Were Arabs detained following 9/11? Why yes they were. According to this Arab-American website, the number could have been 1200, with 725 held on immigration violations, another 100 held for unrelated criminal charges, and 360 detained for possible links to terrorism. And according to the US Census Bureau, there are about 3 million Arab Americans in the United States.
Some kind of “indiscriminate roundup” eh?
But our prevaricating almost-President wasn’t finished. He then proceeded to ask one of the swarthy gentlemen in the front row to turn around and raise his robes so that he could deliver a heartfelt lip-to-butt smooch, all the better to prove his anti-American bona fides and kick the Administration in the groin at the same time:
“The thoughtless way in which visas are now handled, that is a mistake,” Gore said during the Jiddah Economic Forum. “The worst thing we can possibly do is to cut off the channels of friendship and mutual understanding between Saudi Arabia and the United States.”
Absolutely. “Dear Saudi Arabia: Please send us more hijackers that fly planes into our buildings. We ran out more than 4 years ago and have yet to receive any replacements. Best Regards, Algore”
And then what did our courageous Hamster-In-Chief do when several of the attendees asked about US support for Israel? Did he point out that Israel is an American ally by virtue of it being the only democracy within ballistic missile distance? Did he offer strong support for the brave Israeli people facing the prospect of increased terrorism from those “Hamas reformers?”
Several audience members criticized the United States for what they described as “unconditional” U.S. support for Israel, saying U.S. diplomats helped Israel flout U.N. resolutions that they enforced when the measures targeted Arabs.Gore refused to be drawn into questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“We can’t solve that long conflict in exchanges here,” Gore said.
“Duck and cover” used to be the byword in the 1950’s when we schoolkids saw the bright flash of a nuke going off nearby. Protozoa Brain has adopted the saying to explain why he felt it necessary not to talk some “truth to power” with regards to the Saudis and their nauseating support for Palestinian terrorists.
I’m not the only one who has noted how Brave Sir Alfred has chosen foreign venues to launch his attacks. Tigerhawk:
Procedurally, Gore’s speech is repugnant. It is one thing to say such things to an American audience in an effort to change our policy. Whether or not one agrees with Gore on the substance, if he wants to change American policy to let in more Saudis the only way he can do that it is to campaign for that change among influential Americans. It is, however, another thing entirely to travel to a foreign country that features pivotally in the war of our generation for the purpose of denouncing American policies in front of the affected foreign audience.
And Scott Johnson has a few choice words for the Saudis:
I want them to know that Gore’s impulse to defame his country before a foreign audience for fun and profit does not represent the desires or wishes or feelings of the majority of citizens of my country. I want them to know that the American people support the enforcement of America’s immigration laws, especially against those suspected of having a possible terrorist connection. I want them to know that when 15 of the 19 perpetrators of September 11 were found to have been Saudi citizens, the American people wanted the Saudi government to take responsibility for its role in the attack on the United States and take every action necessary to ensure that it never happens again.
I really wish Al would go back to delivering speeches here in the United States where no one pays any attention to him. That way, when he makes a fool of himself, people won’t confuse him with someone who has anything important to say.
UPDATE
Michelle Malkin rounds up blogger reaction and gives us the zinger of the day:
The notion that Saudis are entitled to unfettered visas to work, study, and do business in this country—the notion that entry into America is an entitlement and not a privilege—cost 3,000 innocent lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
How much did the Saudis pay you to forget, Al?
Youch!
Gore’s never been a particularly smart man; remember he flunked out of both law and divinity school. It may be as simple as the notion that “By hurting my enemy (President Bush), I’m helping myself.”
The man will go to his grave cursing George Bush.
Cross Posted at The Wide Awakes
11:05 am
The Bush administration instituted a policy toward Saudi immigration in June, 2001, called “Visa Express.” Under this bent rule, Saudis could obtain U.S. visas without being photographed or having to apply in person.
3=Number of 11 September hijackers whose entry visas came through special US-Saudi “Visa Express” program.
140=Number of Saudis, including members of the Bin Laden family, evacuated from United States almost immediately after 11 September.
Bandar bin Sultan – Prince Bandar has endured controversy over allegations in the book Plan of Attack by Bob Woodward that President George W. Bush informed him of the decision to invade Iraq ahead of Secretary of State Colin Powell. Also, the book alleged a deal had been worked out to reduce oil prices just ahead of the November 2004 election. Bandar publicly endorsed President Bush.
Gore complained of “endemic hyper-corruption” among Tehran’s religious and political elite and asked Arabs to take a stand against Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes but the United States and other Western countries suspect Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons.
“Is it only for the West to say this is dangerous?” Gore asked. “We should have more people in this region saying this is dangerous.”
Cherie Blair, wife of British Prime Minister
Tony Blair, made a plea at the forum for women’s rights, telling Saudi leaders that the dearth of women in the work force was “undermining economic potential” of the kingdom.
It was a forum in which lots of different opinions were expressed.
Such a complicated world. So many things to remember, facts to keep straight.
11:12 am
Gore Laments U.S. “Abuses”
NOTE: “Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.”
~Albert Einstein
11:28 am
We often ask the question “Why do they hate us?” or some paraphrase to that question. The actions of Al Gore and his fellow leftist travelers explain this perfectly.
1:42 pm
I’m all for busting Saudi chops. And Gore could have been tougher, without a doubt.
Of course, he couldn’t invite members of the royal family to his ranch to talk about the wonderful friendship between the House of Saud and the United States the way President Bush did just eight months after the hijackers crashed into New York and DC.
Nor could Gore push for military and other aid for the Saudi leadership as George Bush did as late as 18 months ago. Thanks to a few Republicans who crossed the aisle to held Congress shoot down this aid in the foreign assistance package.
3:44 pm
Meteor Blaster
I agree with you I’m all for busting Saudi chops. The fact that Al Gore gave a speech in Saudi Arabia and President Bush invited high level Saudis to his ranch for planning purposes or gave them lavish foreign aid illustrates the complexity of dealing with Saudi Arabia. By going to Saudi Arabia and delivering a speech laced with anti American diatribes he has given the America hating Islamic Extremists something far more valuable than anything the Bush administration has given them. Such anti-American diatribes are likley to do much to recruit Jihadists. Propaganda counts for allot in war. In fact, if we were to take Nazi proganda and strike out the word “Jew” and replace it with “Neo-Conservative” or “Evangelical Christian” Nazi Germany propaganda looks very simillar to the propaganda coming from the main stream western news media.
If the Democrats and a few Republicans would stop blocking proposals to drill for oil in ANWR and other places within the US we could increase our supply of oil which might possibly help us to get some leverage when dealing with the Saudis.
The Left often criticizes the Bush adminstration for its kid glove treatment of Saudi Arabia. They are generally correct to do so. Now will they criticize Al Gore for his blatant attempt to kiss up to high ranking Saudis. Somehow I doubt it. In other words, the hyprocissy of the left will continue.
4:30 pm
Depends on which leftists you’re talking about. I try to make a distinction between moderate Republicans, libertarian Republicans, rightists and far-rightists, as well as neo- and paleo-conservatives. Too many folks in all but the first of those categories assume we on the left are all cut from the same cloth.
4:44 pm
Top o’ the Mornin’ to ya’
Today’s dose of NIF - News, Interesting & Funny … Hey look, I’m back!
8:20 pm
Meteor Blades
Your’re right to many people on the so called “right” do tend to assume that all of those on the so called “left” are cut from the same cloth. Personally I don’t like labels much. Also, many on the so called “left” assume that many on the so called “right” are cut from the same cloth. In my previous post, what I meant by the left was a certain group within the main stream media and American politicians who hate America and will do anything they can to bring it down even if it means distorting the truth. I still believe Al Gore with this speech has given the Jihadists something far more valuable than anything Bush or so called “Neo Conservatives” have ever given them. It seems to me Al Gore and his fellow travelers keep doing this. By this speech and others I can only conclude one or more of the following must be true: 1.) He fully knows what he is doing and he hates America, as it is, with a passion and wishes to bring about a socialist system and, since the Jihadists also hate America, they make naturaul allies. 2.)He turly does not believe the Jihadists are a threat. Perhaps he thinks we can simply have a chat and iron out our differences. If this is what he thinks then he is not going to find Bush’s policies very palatable. If this is what he thinks, I don’t think he can be trusted with any more power than he already has and the power he does have needs to be taken from him. The Islamic Extremists Jihadists are a very powerful and lethal enemy who is bent on world domination. Not only this, but they are fully capable of defeating the United States. Underestimating an enemy is very dangerous business and can be fatal. Perhaps Bush is not the person to lead the USA during this crisis, however, any future leader needs to establish that they have a basic grasp of what we are dealing with. By this speech, Mr. Gore indicates to me he has no such concept. 3.) Al Gore, like many of his fellow travelers, is so overcome by Bush hatred that he is simply not thinking clearly. My personal opinion is that # 3 most likely explains the behavior we are seeing from Al Gore.
You and many in the main stream news media are quite correct to raise concerns about the kid glove treatment being given to the Saudis by the Bush administration. Now that main stream media darling Al Gore has been more generous to the Saudis than the Bush administration has ever been will the main stream media raise the same concern about the actions of Mr. Gore that they have raised about the actions of the Bush administration. I think some will but I doubt that it will be as wide spread as criticism of the administration.
8:49 pm
I have seen this kind of behavior before in presidents, vice presidents, and potential vice presidents rejected by their party leaders or by the American people.
For a case in point, consider LBJ. In 1964 President Johnson kept Hubert Humphrey and J. William Fulbright on the hook dangling the vice presidency before them. When he finally chose Humphrey, Fulbright came unhinged (a la Michelle Malkin’s description of unhinged). He saw no way to attack Johnson but to attack him through opposing the War in Viet Nam. This he did with a furor and helped change history, not out of any conviction but out of jealously and spite. Vengeance was his!
The American people kicked Jimmy Carter out of the White House to welcome Ronald Reagan. Jimmy never got over this and has held a tremendous hatred and bitterness all these years since 1980. He might not be unhinged, but his anti-American actions and his vicious and unseemly attacks on President Bush sure make one believe that his lost left him forever mentally and morally diminished.
Now fast forward 20 years later and we have Gore and Bush in Florida. When Gore lost, he lost much of his reasoning and sanity. Since then he has tried to hurt President Bush in every way possible and has made the basest attacks. He too, like Carter, has violated the old tradition of leaving partisanship at the border during times of war.
So what is Gore all about? I don’t think anyone knows. But, we can all thank God that President Johnson made the right choice in 1964 and that the American people made the right choices in 1980 and 2000.
9:11 pm
Cover your Head Or Be a Traitor
The Jeddah Economic Forum JEF is an international event that I truly admire. For one thing, it is a multi-cultural event that addresses current global economic issues. Secondly, it is located in my home town Jeddah, a beautiful city with
9:27 pm
Al Gore: America’s Crazy Aunt
Gore is your crazy aunt in the attic who never married. Not too bright, he flunked out of divinity school and law school. His wife is another loser. Remember that dopey crusade against rock lyrics 20 years ago? Even John Denver testified against it.
9:58 pm
Now, I have not read much on Al Gore’s latest USO Tour De Force, and maybe someone else has already done their homework and dug it up, but I happen to remember distinctly Al Gore (and company) ripping into the current Commander in Chief in 03/04 for ignoring al-Qaeda/Taliban and heading into Iraq guns a-blazin’...and alluding to the fact that most of the hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi…yet he went to Iraq.
Somebody want to run with this, or have they already and I have just missed it?
10:24 pm
[...] At Right Wing Nuthouse Rick Moran makes several excellent points about Al of Arabia’s disgraceful speech yesterday, but here is one that I had missed completely: [W]hat did our courageous Hamster-In-Chief do when several of the attendees asked about US support for Israel? Did he point out that Israel is an American ally by virtue of it being the only democracy within ballistic missile distance? Did he offer strong support for the brave Israeli people facing the prospect of increased terrorism from those “Hamas reformers?†Several audience members criticized the United States for what they described as “unconditional†U.S. support for Israel, saying U.S. diplomats helped Israel flout U.N. resolutions that they enforced when the measures targeted Arabs. [...]
10:53 pm
Gore Does It Again
Is there a single prominent Democratic politician who is able to stave off the urge to talk down America when on foreign soil? The evidence would say no. The latest is Al Gore, defeated in the 2000 election by the
11:12 pm
The dim-wit leadership sends out Algore, Howard the Coward, Hanoi John or the Swimmer Ted when they want to make themselves ‘only seem half crazy’, and it’s the only thing they are successful at, half the party is completely crazy and the rest only half crazy(but beyond any hope of treatment). They have made complete fools of themselves in the past few weeks, the hearings, the funeral and now a state visit by a nut with no possible reason to be there except to try and get some more American troops killed. I guess from todays news he succeeded in that all too well. There is another blog that pleads for someone to hold ‘The Swimmer’s’ head under water until the bubbles stop. An easier way is to weight him down with Algore and kill two looney birds in one swoop.
2:08 am
We dodged a bullet, people. We dodged a bullet.
I shudder to think how close we came to having this ignorant self-centered low-life son of a bitch in the White House in the aftermath of 9/11. It’s a damned shame it didn’t go off. al-Dumbass can’t even shoot himself
4:41 am
We all own a debt of gratitude to Florida By the Bear
Had it not been for 567 unknown Florida voters in the 2000 Presidential Election who tipped the scales in favor of George Bush, we mite have had an unhinged nut case in the White House.
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5:29 am
Don’t get me started on elections! After the State of Washington’s latest display …..I’m sure Brian Maloney at the radio equalizer can shed light on that infested mess throughout the hierarchy residing in Seattle, if anyone’s interested. That’s be a whole other topic/can of worms.
1:22 pm
Bryan, the Stonecutters have prompted the Republicans to outlaw recycling. You best be careful or Cheney’s digital brownshirts will whisk you to a supersekret A-rab detention camp. Without a trace…