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TechnoratiLieberman Escalates Attack on Iraq Critics
Ever since Connecticut Democrats refused to back him for a fourth term in Congress, Joe Lieberman has been burnishing his independent credentials in the narrowly divided Senate while becoming increasingly critical of the Democratic Party on the war in Iraq.
Lieberman, the Democrats' 2000 vice presidential nominee, insists he is not actively considering joining the Republican Party. But he is keeping that possibility wide open as his disenchantment grows with Democratic leaders. The main sticking points are their attempts to end the war in Iraq and their hesitation to take a harder line against Iran.
"I think either [Democrats] are, in my opinion, respectfully, naíve in thinking we can somehow defeat this enemy with talk, or they're simply hesitant to use American power, including military power," Lieberman said in a wide-ranging interview with The Hill.
"There is a very strong group within the party that I think doesn't take the threat of Islamist terrorism seriously enough."
Lieberman says he is annoyed by the mudslinging on Capitol Hill and Democrats' unwillingness to work with President Bush. But his critics say he has contributed to that polarization by his rhetoric and refusal to compel Bush to find a new way forward in Iraq.
As Lieberman sees it, however, the Democratic Party has slipped away from its "most important and successful times" of the middle of last century, where it was tough on Communism and progressive on domestic policy.
"I fear that some people take this position also because anything President Bush is for, they'll be against, and that's wrong," said Lieberman, a staunch advocate of the war. "There's a great tradition in our history of partisanship generally receding when it comes to foreign policy. But for the moment we've lost that."
Even though he did not reclaim his Senate seat as a Democrat, Lieberman has been instrumental in two bills this Congress central to the 2006 Democratic campaign platform: an ethics and lobbying overhaul bill and a measure to implement recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission. The 9/11 bill cleared Congress last week, and the ethics bill could win final approval this week before lawmakers adjourn for August recess.
But if Lieberman seems blunt about the direction of the Democratic Party, it may stem from his loss last August in the primaries to businessman Ned Lamont, who wooed Democratic voters with his anti-war platform. Lieberman calls his ensuing victory in the general election as an independent "inspiring." And remaining an independent has freed him to repeatedly buck the Democratic leadership on foreign policy and other legislative issues.
"Now that he knows he can win as an independent, he doesn't need the Democrats at all," said Kenneth Dautrich, a professor of public policy at the University of Connecticut. "I think it's absolutely emboldened him."
Lieberman was the only non-Republican in June to vote against Democratic efforts to pass a resolution expressing no confidence on embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. He has no plans to endorse a Democrat for president, including the senior senator from his home state, Christopher Dodd, and is open to backing a Republican candidate for president. Lieberman also startled Democrats when he lent his support to the re-election bid of Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a top target of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
During this month's Iraq debate, Lieberman was working behind the scenes strategizing with Republicans and was front-and-center in several GOP press conferences denouncing Democratic tactics to push for an end to the war.
Lieberman was the lone non-Republican to vote against Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) efforts to shut down debate on an amendment to bring troops home by next April. (Reid voted against the cloture motion to file a similar motion at a later time.) Lieberman was also alone when he joined 40 Republicans in voting to kill an amendment by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) to extend the time between troop deployments in Iraq.
"I'm disappointed that I am in so small a minority among Senate Democrats in taking the position that I have," Lieberman said.
But even as he has played a key role on some of their top domestic initiatives, Democrats have at times kept their distance from Lieberman. Last week, for instance, Reid held a press conference with several Democrats to tout their efforts to pass the 9/11 Commission bill and a homeland-security spending plan. Lieberman, the lead Senate negotiator on the measure and chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, was conspicuously absent.
Reid said it was not intentional to leave Lieberman out of the press conference, but Lieberman said not being invited was "surprising."
The distance that Democratic leaders appear to be keeping from Lieberman could result from the animosity that the Democrats' anti-war base has directed toward him. That criticism intensified even more last month, when he suggested military intervention against the Iranian government.
"He used to have a heart and soul, and he used to care about people," said Leslie Angeline, an activist with the anti-war group Code Pink, who held a 24-day hunger strike until she could meet with Lieberman about his position on Iran.
Angeline is facing an unlawful entry charge after she refused to leave Lieberman's office during her strike.
Even though Lieberman has become a lightning rod on the left, his prominent chairmanship and influence within the Democratic caucus is safe, for now, given the Democrats' razor-thin majority. Analysts say if Democrats increase their Senate majority from the 2008 elections, Lieberman's influence and role could be marginalized within the caucus.
Still, Lieberman is unfazed and says he has no intention of formally rejoining the Democratic Party.
"For now, I find being an independent more fun," Lieberman said. "The partisanship in this place is out of control. As an independent I've got the opportunity to speak out against that."
Excerpts from The Hill's interview with Sen. Lieberman
The Hill: How long do you see U.S. troops staying in Iraq?
Lieberman: I think some troops will be there for quite a while to secure the country, particularly from external threats. Look, I hope that this surge, which has always intended to be temporary, gets to a point sometime next year where it has succeeded enough in quelling the sectarian violence, particularly so that some of the troops that were part of the surge begin to come home. But my direct answer is that there is no explicit answer. The answer is that the troops will come home when the mission is completed.
The Hill: Obviously, a lot of Democrats don't feel that way.
Lieberman: I've noticed that.
The Hill: How dissatisfied are you with you right now with the way this debate has been handled in the Senate, especially during the defense authorization bill debate?
Lieberman: I'm disappointed that I am in so small a minority among Senate Democrats in taking the position that I have. While I obviously understand and respect that Iraq is a difficult issue, and people take different points of views, I'm surprised and disappointed that the split has followed partisan lines so much. It shouldn't be.
The Hill: Some of this criticism might seem surprising from someone who was the vice presidential nominee seven years ago. How far away from the Democratic Party do you see yourself right now?
Lieberman: Right now, certainly on Iraq, to some extent on some other foreign policy issues, like how do we confront Iran, how do we contain Iran, how do we deal with what that threat represents in the Middle East. To some extent on some defense issues, I have disagreements with most Democrats. But I agree with most Democrats on a lot of other issues, and a lot of domestic issues particularly.
The Hill: Are you open to switching parties and becoming a Republican?
Lieberman: I have no interest or desire in doing that. I wouldn't foreclose it as a possibility, but I hope that I don't reach that point.
The Hill: What would drive you over to that point?
Lieberman: Well, I guess I'd know it. It's like Justice [Potter] Stewart and his definition of obscenity: he couldn't define it but he'd know when he saw it. I think I'll know it when I feel it, but I hope I never get to that point.
© 2007 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp.
80 Comments so far
Show AllMost countries have their Joe Liebermans ...pretending their allegiance ....while at all times working for their political masters in Tel Aviv ....
marctileston,
"Oh, you are correct Joe, I don't take the Islamist terrorism threat very serioulsy at all. The threat you and people like you pose in positions of authority scare the shit out of me though."
I know this will brand me as a complete nut, but I ain't all that worried about terrorism either.
Europe and Israel have dealt with it for years. And Europe is in a lot better shape than we are.
Financially, socially.....every way.
Even a nuclear or bio-chem attack, as horrific as those would be, wouldn't destroy this country.
But the neo-cons certainly can, and just might.
all the best
Though many on this forum have called attention to Lieberman's devotion to Israel's Likud Party there is absolutely nothing mentioned in our mainstream media about his "Israel First Agenda." His recent appearance at charlatan Rev. Hargee's convention should have been given far more coverage showing those voters in Connecticut whatever befalls our nation when Lieberman and his fellow foreign loyalists get us into their war with Iran. He is identified as Joseph Lieberman, I-Ct.;very fittin; but we should finally admit what the "I" really stands for.
Joe was always a criminal who infiltrated the Democratic Party. Worshipping AIPAC and making money for himself is his gameplan. It serves the Dems to rid themselves of this leech. Although we know what their real plan is too.
And who gives a shit what candidate he endorses?
Oh, you are correct Joe, I don't take the Islamist terrorism threat very serioulsy at all. The threat you and people like you pose in positions of authority scare the shit out of me though.
was lieberman for the war in vietnam? i don;t think he was. so i imagine he is a very selective warmonger.
also, even if ct could recall lieberman, with a republican governor i guess a republican would be appointed to the senate. even if democrats are hopeless, still having them lose their slim majority is no cause for joy.
Lieberman is a warmonger from way back. How he won the most recent election in Connecticut is beyond me. He, like too many other politicians, Dem. or Rep., is utterly out of touch with the American people on the Iraq war. Calling those who are, and have been, against the war naive is pathetic. Virtually every horror story that the so-called naive peacemongers predicted prior to the U.S. invasion has unfolded. Recruitment of terrorists to Iraq, the eruption of mass chaos and a civil war, the sqandering of $ hundreds of billions (currently $ 500 billion) from the pockets of U.S. taxpayers, tens of thousands of Iraqi civilan deaths, a massive humanitarian crisis in Iraq (as reported recently by Oxfam and other agencies), several thousand American deaths and many more who are physically and psychologically crippled, the rapid erosion of world opinion re: U.S. policy and intentions, and on and on....Lieberman and his ilk seem oblivious to all these facts. And who is it that's naive???!!!
You can't blame Lieberman, if you were a citizen of Israel you would probably want to nuke Iran also.
Is there a law that deals with insane people becoming POTUS? This creature needs to go to any Army supply depot and get fitted up with all the standard combat gear and go off to Iraq and take his chances.
When this person recites the pledge of allegiance what does he have in mind?
Lieberman is a whore for the Likud. He couldn't care less about America.
I wonder if his constituency finds itself slipping to the right as well..somehow I doubt it. Why is it that Mr. Lieberman thinks his works is about him when clearly it is about us? He has lost his way like so many in Washington.
I used to strongly dislike Mr. Leiberman, but now I kind of pity him. I fear he might be insane; are there any laws against the insane being in congress?
Lieberman became a Republican years ago! When he chose to forced American troops to fight a war for Israel! He might as well make it official and join the party for good! They are the ones who put him in office in 2004. Most people I know voted for him in 2000 for Vice President because of Al Gore but not because anyone liked him. He is like Bush, there is nothing that comes out of his mouth that can be believed these days. He gets phonier by the day. Most of us wish he would just go away where all good little traitors go.
Clark: Then the people of CT ought to write such a provision. Ideally, any Constitution is meant to hold politician's hands behind their backs, not ours.
When will the US stop sending our tax dollars to support the real cause of the destruction, bloodshed and greed in the Middle East: Israel?
Great, Lieberman,
Everybody is jumping ship in the Republican Party and then at the last moment you jump aboard.
That means that when all that filth will finally flow down the drain, you will go with them.
Good riddance !
It is unfortunate that Connecticut's state constitution has no provisions for recalling a Senator.
It's ironic that Leiberman, Kristol and Wolfowitz would all embrace such Nazi tactics as they have under this administration.
Now, then senorpescado -- I don't think the Dalai Lama would approve:
http://www.fairtradefish.org/ [scroll down]
that is cause lieberman ia a jew fuck war profiteer
what an idiot, needs to be hung in public
hard to believe folks listen to him
Via la Revolucion
1776
fuck the pommies
and yes a general strike would be great to remind folks the day the CIA ran planes into WTC, but here? in cushy, cell phone loving, obese, fast food loving, cheap wal mart of china loving usa? get real
will not happen
wake up folks
I seriously doubt that the repugs would run Cheney for president, but if the spineless dims would push HR333 it could help insure they can't. I said earlier that if McCain got the nomination he might chose Lieberman for a running mate, though it does not seem likely McCain can get the nomination. The idea that Lieberman might run on a "bi-partisan" ticket with the repug nominee is quite real and quite scary, since the MSM would no doubt bill it as proof of real change.
How dose Thompson/Leiberman 2008t strike you?
Gore picked Lieberman because Lieberman is put forth by the MSM as a moderate. Lieberman continues to enjoy that false reputation as a moderate, and the thought of him joining with someone like Thompson who bills himself as a populist is quite frightening.
Why does anybody care what Uncle AIPAC has to say ?
The Rockerfellas own Maine, who owns Conneticut? Obviously Joe represents someone, but it is not the average american.
And Israel, created in 1949 out of the same agreement that created the artifical divisons in Iraq was a bad idea. If you are looking for a villian I think you have to look a little harder, underneath all this hypocrisy is group that benefits from all the bloodshed in the Middle-east.
I don't like Joe, but he is a symptom of something much bigger. Like a pimple on a malnurished person.
If the reports of the humanitarian disaster in Iraq are only half true then the Likud Party and this Lacky have duped the American people into commiting genocide for the PetroFascist. Where is U.N. Resolution 242 when we need it and where the hell did we put our Decoration of Independance?
I wrote Pew Research today to suggest that they poll Connecticut voters to see how many who chose Lieberman are happy with their selection. (Wonder if Connecticut has a recall process?)
Mey: Zionism seems to me to thrive on our tax dollars. If we stopped financing Israel's illegal occupation and supplying it with planes, bombs, tanks and all other war materials (or the money with which to buy them from American manufacturers), Israel would be forced to accept the Arab plan for peace: She would be given a guarantee of safety in return for complying with UN resolutions ordering her to leave Palestinian terrority, to allow Palestinians to return to their homes, and to refrain from further military actions against their neighbors.
A heck of a lot cheaper than funneling $30 MORE billion to finance an unwinnable cause. Only Israel can achieve real peace and only by accepting the Arab plan. Plenty of Israelis know this, but its leaders and ours unfortunately do not. And our leaders do not seem to realize we cannot afford to continue down the present path.
I agree with Observer. To blame some other country for what is clearly the most vicious, baby-eating ruling mob that the world has ever seen .. is slightly off the mark.
Our ruling oligarchy, the corporates with their/our leaders as front men, are the problem. And they choose to use Israel as one "pawn", and Saudis as another "pawn", and gee ... the third guy out (this time it's the "radical muslims" via Iran) gets shafted.
While Israel has perpetrated actions quite abominable, they are not to blame for our own. And Lieberman, also, is one of our own, like it or not.
I'm so sorry, you people from Connecticut. You have been "Florida-ized" in the sense that an election was stolen from the people. Their will was denied.
The whole fiasco was like yet another gut-punch delivered via the god-awful criminal organization, Republicans.
Lamont ran as a Democrat. So there are some good. I don't see him rolling over, the way others seem to have. Am I right or wrong about this?
Dr. Zimmerman Robert took all my thunder away!!!!! I was going to say:
"Cheney/Lieberman 2008"!! Waaahhhhh!!!!!
Be afraid. Be VERY afraid.......
lieberman got it wrong.
Anything bush is for needs to be resisted by every American who cares about our country, our children, and what remains of the Constitution bush and his minions have shredded.
prof: Good point. Let's say I was a poor shopkeeper, mechanic, machinist, etc. I'm barely able to make ends meet for my family, put food on the table, etc. Am I going to drop what little spare time, money and energy I've got to fight some country on the other side of the planet just for shits and giggles?
Note that I didn't specify the nationality of our hypothetical Joe Everyman. He could be American, Iraqi, Iranian, or Israeli.
America is ABOVE being dragged into some centuries-long ethnic blood feud. It is our involvement in it that's made us a target. And until the miscalculators in D.C. understand that we've picked sides in a modern day firepower tribal blood feud, we've got a problem.
Aside from ancient blood feud, there's only one other reason that Joe Sixpacks (whether American, Iranian, Israeli, etc.) would bother himself with some other country -- if he blindly follows the calls of nationalized thieves/pirates in his own ranks, who think it is morally justified to steal resources from another nation.
Joe just doesn't understand how Joe Sixpacks operates: don't fuck with us, and we don't fuck with you. If it weren't for "leaders", most of us rank-and-file across the planet would probably get along quite well.
Time to make head cheese out this sheep!
observer,
I have read all of your posts and haven't the foggiest notion of what your point is other than to support Israel and Zionism.
"Devout Jew" may kiss Ahmanijad as well as Lieberman may bomb him. What the hell is THAT supposed to mean, seriously?
"…a little failed state" is the only one for Jews around the world. That is good enough for me and you and your ilk may go and screw yourself as many times as you are pleased.
Are you saying that because Jews choose to live in Israel that we should support their actions? Again I'm not sure what you are trying to say.
You seem to be simply in favor of supporting Israel and criticize anyone who doesn't.
Exactly the Zionist-Extremist viewpoint that I detest so much.
Kevin DiRito wonders:
am wondering why Al Gore would chose such a man as Liberman as a running mate in 2000. Is it that...?
****************
My best guess is that Al and Joe were just a couple closet-internationalist-multi-national corpratist tools and now that Joe has come "out of the closet", Al is waiting in the background so that he can be the next corporatist pawn to contend for the Democratic nomination (or some high cabinet position)in 08.
For now we are through with the weekly "let's get behind Al Gore article puff-pieces that were appearing on CD throughout the summer. But it's a long way to the '08 election.
This is from a website -
http://www.myleftnutmeg.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1397
>>>Joseph I. Lieberman, 61 Received student deferments from 1961 through 1967 while at Yale and Yale Law School. After finishing law school, received a parental deferment with his wife pregnant.
Please note that Lieberman relies strongly on (mis)characterizing others so that he can position himself as being right by default. That is: until you look at his words closely.
""There is a very strong group within the party that I think doesn't take the threat of Islamist terrorism seriously enough.""
In this case, "seriously" is constituted by uncritical support for Bush's disastrously criminal war, which even by his wacky standards has made the problem worse.
And despite his aggressive undermining of his former party, they continue to let him caucus with them!
Neither the Thugs nor the Fools are representing us, and Lieberman has influence with both. As Alexander Pope wrote, "The dog star rages. Nay, 'tis past a doubt. / All Bedlam or Parnassus has let out."
Why would Lieberman want to become a Republican when he can maintain his position as the Fascist Party's token pretend practicing Jew Zionist Droopy Dog?
media critic:
"Lieberman is just an Israeli plant in our government"
Our government? What a strange proposition! Still struggling for independent thinking, are not you? Or may be you belong to those 12,000, whose this government is a wholly owned subsidiary.
While media critic - think critically.
I am wondering why Al Gore would chose such a man as Liberman as a running mate in 2000. Is it that Al was fooled and that Liberman concealed his blind ambition and right wing leanings. Or is it that Liberman at a later time saw room for a power grab that he missed with Al Gore by joining the side that won an appointment by the court(which is illegal) that brought this crimanal regime into power. So I would ask, what was Al Gore thinking ? Kevin Di Rito
"Lieberman was the only non-Republican in June to vote against Democratic efforts to pass a resolution expressing no confidence on embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales."
Wow......big surprise! A former Republicrat who now calls himself and Independent.
He also apparently hasn't been listening to the many Military Generals who have been telling us all along that this invasion, also conveniently referred to as a "War on Terror" can't be won with just military might.
Does this guy ever listen to anyone but Bush/Cheney gang?
"I think either [Democrats] are, in my opinion, respectfully, naïve in thinking we can somehow defeat this enemy with talk"
Enemy? What enemy? Do Iraqis somehow constitute a threat to the US? Is this for failing to obey the dictates of Israel?
I support Cindy. But in Leiberman's electorate, if I could, I would back the democratic candidate to the hilt.
War economics
10 $ each round of ammunition used
300 $ each bomb airdropped (up to 250 pounds)
475 $ each bomb airdropped (up to 500 pounds)
etc etc
how in the world this band of war-cheerleaders are going to givwe up all these ill gotten gains..?
On top of it all, our tax dollars goes to whoever places the orders to the weapon manufacturers for further **administrative review**
No way to stop a war on other reasons than the huge (confidential andf unaccounted) profits it generates and none of the two parties does enough-
Murtha was muzzled and thrown aside in favour of the other guy who, other than narcissism activity, has ever taken any position for the Common Good of this Country, near and long term view - disgusting
What irony!!
"While I obviously understand and respect that Iraq is a difficult issue, and people take different points of views, I'm surprised and disappointed that the split has followed partisan lines so much. It shouldn't be."
Turn that statement on its head: Repuglicans should not vote their partisan allegiance.
Democrats are Repuglican lite anyway, except for Dennis Kucinich.
Lieberman is just an Israeli plant in our government.
it's a good argument as to whether Lieberman or Cheney would be the worst possible VP...
Then on the other hand their is the hypothesis that the current American Empire is just the continuation of the Roman Empire and the Christian Conspiracy implemented by Rome, back in the day....
impeach Lieberman
terryb "lieberman makes my stomach turn, but he is right on one thing….america ain't goin nowhere!"
Just like all empires, this one two shall pass into oblivion, whether hailed or cursed by history.
Britain will take troops out of Iraq regardless of US, says PM
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/article2820885.ece
Cheney / Lieberman 2008 Bi-partisan ticket that unites the USA.
USA USA USA USA
At the high risk of being labeled anti-semitic, I share some of the view of "gyptian" above: Lieberman acts and talks like a member of the Likud party, a true Israeli. But I disagree that Likud-like policies are good for Israel. Its hard line reasoning, as much as I understand why it appeals to some (but by no means all!) Israelis, is what makes Israel so hated by the Arab world. A more compassionate approach to the Palestinians would, in the long run, allow Israel to build ties of genuine friendship with most Arab states and disarm much of the violent passions that underlie anti-Israeli terrorism. The United States has created its own difficulties in the Arab world by its blind support of Israel, and has unwittingly made life much tougher for Israel in so doing. It is much like the constant enabling of a partner suffering drug or alcohol addiction. Oh, would that the misguided voters of Connecticut come to their senses and throw Lieberman out of office before he creates far worse troubles for both America and Israel!
Well Connecticut wanted this joker to represent them. They got their wish. Are you proud now Connecticut? Does he represent your values well?
Lieberman's true constituency is the extreme right in the Knesset and Republicans in his State. The Democrat party should expel him.
Lieberman will be seriously considered, if not appointed, by the GOP to be the V.P. running mate for whatever slug they run in 2008 for President.
The vast majority of Jews, like myself, wouldn't support him for dog catcher because of his conservative views, hypocrisy, and idiotic rationale for staying in Iraq.
Wall Street, Pharma, Real Estate, and other corporate interests got him re-elected. http://www.opensecrets.org/races/contrib.asp?ID=CTS1&cycle=2006&special=N
Why bring Israel into this argument? Israel was done no favors by Bush's invasion and sustained occupation of Iraq. Israelis know that the enemy of their enemy is not necessarily a wise friend. A nation the size of New Jersey with 7.15 million inhabitants and surrounded by hostile enemies is clearly not the culprit for disastrous American foreign policy. Look to the neo-cons for our failures thorughout the world. Uninterrupted peace is an elusive aspiration for Israel. Israel will do what is necessary to survive. We should not expect less from any free people.
'...his prominent chairmanship and influence within the Democratic caucus is safe'
He ran as an independent against the official Dem candidate of Connecticut.
Why is he in the Dem caucus?
Hadda get a puke bucket as soon as his picture came on......
I found his analogy with rencognizing an obscenity and the Republican Party to be a mixed metaphor.
lieberman makes my stomach turn, but he is right on one thing....america ain't goin nowhere!
Zionism thrives on anti-semtism. It is essential to make sure that the US policy is driven by the ideals and the interests of the US and not by any outside lobby. The US public would not tolerate any lobby in favor of policies that are harming the country no matter which country it is, except in the case of Israel. The latest offer for weapons to the Gulf countries was proposed along with more for Israel to styme the objections of AIPAC. It does not serve our long term interest to continue to cozy up with the clans and families that rule the region, and all the weapons we sell them will come back to haunt us.
I hope Lieberman officially becomes a republican. He is a Freedom Hating, War Loving, Liberty Hating; Republican ideologue that don't have the guts to join the Republican party and is better able to spread his hate policy as an "independent".
purvis ames:
"He does not work in the interests of the United States; he works in the interests of Israel."
Does he? Are you serious and call you lefty seriously?
"...a little failed state" is the only one for Jews around the world. That is good enough for me and you and your ilk may go and screw yourself as many times as you are pleased.
"…that depends entirely on American welfare"- as well as the whole American military-industrial complex. American monies never leave American soil, they are all spent right here, in the US of A. These notorious petty $2 Billions (with total Israel's GDP around $200 B) is nothing more than a leash to keep each and every Israeli at bay. The same way you and the rest of the American public is kept on leashes a.k.a. mortgages, credit cards and other financial tools. To keep people like you from understanding it is the major success of the American Agitprop.
"I'm sick and tired of these folks determining U.S. foreign policy." Hello, where did you come from? You cannot call Israel Government a puppet of American Imperialism (what too many people in the Middle East do) and then call American Government Israeli puppet. Choose one way or another. You cannot have it both ways. And if you happens to choose latter, than bring me enough evidence to claim that American oilmen and other big fortunes, who control this country right, left and center, the ruling clique, completely in the pocket of Saudis, evangelical morons &c, they all puppets of despised Jewish conspiracy. Give me a break.
Or better yet please read 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion'.
From forwarded -emailed update
Dear Friends,
Leslie was arrested on the 22nd day of her hunger strike in Senator Lieberman's office and charged with "Unlawful Entry". The court hearing was last Thursday and she was hoping the charges would be dropped. She left a message with Clarine, the senator's chief of staff, every day for four days asking her if Senator Lieberman still planned to press charges, but her calls went unanswered. She thought he might have a change of heart because their meeting went so well. Also, she didn't enter his office unlawfully; she simply walked in to make an appointment. According to his office rules, a person may be charged with "loitering" if she/he is in his office for more than ten minutes without an appointment. She was handcuffed and taken away in less than five, probably because they didn't want to risk the embarrassment of having her faint in his office again.
Leslie asked a CodePink lawyer to represent her at the hearing. She was kind enough to say yes as she was also planning to represent two of Leslie's CodePink sisters, Janet and Heather. They had yelled out, "Yea Barbara (Boxer)!" and clapped in the Congressional Gallery and were arrested for "Interrupting Congress" which can result in a felony charge. The lawyer requested a continuance for Leslie, but it was denied. Now she can be arrested and taken to jail if she's stopped by the police for any reason. We're leaving for Connecticut tomorrow to begin our campaign to promote CodePink's Cities for Peace in Iran: http://www.codepinkalert.org/article.php?list=type&type=135
You can be sure we'll be driving carefully.
Peace and Freedom,
Jes & Leslie
observer July 31st, 2007 3:55 pm
Screw you. Holy Joe (Likud), an unregistered foreign agent and dual passport holder who should be arrested and tried for treason, has consistently beaten the drums for war with both Iraq and Iran. He does not work in the interests of the United States; he works in the interests of Israel, a little failed state that depends entirely on American welfare (every Israeli citizen gets more U.S. taxpayer dollars than any U.S. citizen) and I'm sick and tired of these folks determining U.S. foreign policy.
McCain - Lieberman 2008!
Jeff Moehring:
"Lieberman is a devout Jew.
More relevant is he is a strong, strong supporter of the right-wing Likud faction in Israel.
As is a large part of his constituency."
Lieberman's constituency were mostly Republicans, not Dems, as is proved by his loss on Dem primary.
"Devout Jew" may kiss Ahmanijad as well as Lieberman may bomb him.
"But we must separate what is good for the U.S. from what is good for Israel if we EVER want to see improvement in the Middle East."
So must Israeli and they do separate what is good for Israel from what is good for Likud and ultra-right.
So much about unstopped Israel bashing on this and other "progressive" fora. The fact is that it was, is and will be for forseeable future the American policy of unfettered imperialism, especially in oil producing regions, that dictate policies of client states, not another way arround.
Zionism started as Socialist movement, especially among Russian Jews, and was corrupted into the plutocratic mess a.k.a. the US of A, Russia, UK, with Germany and France waiting in the wings. Only total defeat of global American Empire will lead to global solution of global problem.
To think otherwise and to blame some particular villan is tantamount to support of this global evil. Remember that divide et impera is more powerful weapon than all American nukes combined.
So called Left, bashing Israel without understending the root cause of her government behavior, play into 'impera' hand.
Vale.
Just remember, Al Gore CHOSE this snake as the second in command.
What does this say about Al Gore's character?
I didn't trust him when he chose Lieberman, I didn't trust him when he caved on the count and I don't trust him or Lieberman now and never will.
Lieberman and Murdoch....separated at birth?
Americans are supposed to be hesitant to use military power. Lieberman's no American. His loyalties are not our Constitution and our values but to Zionism and its violent traditions.
Lieberman in not republican or democrat. He is 100% Likud. One might just as well have Ariel Sharon in his Senate seat. His FIRST obligation is to a radical rightist Israel that will not have Palestinians anywhere near their neighborhood, and he is willing to bring the U.S. into wars that are being fought largely for Israel's interests regardless of the cost in American "blood and treasure".
He has joined forces with John Hagee's fundamentalist "Christians" who state flatly that ALL Muslims are satanic and who are pressing for Armageddon so that they can be wafted up to Heaven. Lieberman despises them, of course, but is using them to bolster his support for Israel.
One unforgettable comment made from Lieberman (to paraphrase): that in the United States we have freedom OF religion but did not have freedom FROM religion.
The freedom FROM religion is PRECISELY one of the most freedoms and basic concepts in the founding of the United States. The USofA was founded as a SECULAR state and only with active vigilence will it remain so. (Especially with the unending (treasonous?) attack by Chrisitan fundamentalists who actively want to bring about a theistic state.)
Lieberman is so ideologically committed to the theistic state of Israel, perhaps he should register with the government as an agent of a foreign power.
The AFL-CIO in his state SUPPORTED Lieberman and was probably instrumental in his re-election. Perhaps this support was from unionized defense contractors? But it also shows the bankrupt political state of the labor movement today.
Lieberman should go f&%# himself. He is a disgrace to the American people. His strong support of the right-wing Likud faction in Israel is disgusting. Yeah, let's give the extremist Jews in Israel $30 bn dollars in arms and death technology and then throw another $20 bn to the Saudis for their little wind-up death toys. That sounds like a great idea in an already unstable part of the world--largely due to U.S. influence. Well, at least Boeing and Lockheed Martin and GE and Microsoft think it is a peachy idea.
Lieberman is a ghost in the shell. He and his ilk should be removed from office either by voting them out or by tar and feathering, or maybe drawing and quartering, if necessary. Oops! I kid the Senator from CT. His views are soooooooo far out of touch w/ mainstream progressives, who are themselves not exactly radical, that it is hard to ponder his tenure as a career Democrat without it evoking references to Kafka and Orwell. Actually, Sinclair Lewis' "It Can't Happen Here" is a must read that examines the rise of fascism in America. Though published in 1935, it is a shockingly relevant and prescient novel.
I think Lieberman is starting to have senior moments.
Some of his statements show a very cursory understanding of the world in which we live.
"I think either [Democrats] are, in my opinion, respectfully, naïve in thinking we can somehow defeat this enemy with talk, or they're simply hesitant to use American power, including military power," Lieberman said in a wide-ranging interview with The Hill.
Diplomacy, negotiation, talking, with ones enemies is the only way short of committing mass genocide to bring hostilities to an end.
We simply do not have the resources to know what is going on in each and every house inside Iraq. It would be impossible for us to police that country and weed out every last insurgent and terrorist.
Either Joe Lieberman has lost his faculties and his mind is not capable or realizing this or he really means to use the U.S. military to commit mass genocide and terrorize the Iraqi population into submission.
P.S. I am from CT, it was quite obvious in the senatorial campaign that the Republican candidate was not supported by the Republican party in the election. He received almost no funding, he aired almost no commercials, he did not have the financial backing of his party.
This was a deliberate action because the Republican party knew that if the election became a serious 3 way race that in all likelihood, the democrats would vote for Lamont, most of the Republicans would vote for their candidate, and a few holdouts would vote for Lieberman and Lamont would end up winning.
It was a total shame and blatantly obvious that Lieberman had the support of the RNC. An overwhelming number of his voters were Republicans in that election, not Democrats.
Liarman needs to be tried for treason.
Ned Lamont--would you please run again against this embarassment?
Connecticutt--would you please make sure Ned is elected this time!
I know what some of you are thinking--it will still be four more years till Liebermann is up for reelection--My thought is that it is never too early to get busy and try--Strom Thurmond stayed dottering around in the Senate into his 90's--let's not let that happen again!
The violence is not sectarian,
the threats are not external,
the surge isn't temporary,
the troops aren't coming home,
and the mission is not accomplished.
$20 Billion in weapons to the Saudi dictatorship, who have pledged to rush in to "support the Sunnis" if we pull out...
...that is our exit strategy.
Lie-berman was elected by Republicans, and only then because they didn't want Lamont, and their own Repuglie candidate couldn't possibly win.
Lie-berman is only looking after his true constituents, the Israeli zionistas . I would like to grab him by the jowls and shake him.
He's just another disgusting gasbag!
Dennis Kucinich for President
http://www.dennis4president.com/
On April 29th, 2004, then US Sec. of State, Colin Powell, said at the OSCE conference on anti-Semitism:
"It is not anti-Semitic to criticize the policies of the state of Israel."
He was speaking, of course, to the extremist Zionist fundamentalist and Likud-nik terrorist factions who constantly exert evil influence on Washington and US government decision makers.
America needs to wean the overfattened Israeli calf off the of its cash spewing teats....
The recent news that we are GIVING Israel $30.4 billion dollars so they "allow us" to sell the Saudi's $20 billion in weapons sickens me.
Remember the Saudi's? Home of 15 of the 19 9-11 hijackers and Osama bin Laden?
Argggggg....
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/07/29/news/saudi.php
To some extent I agree with wilhelm that comments on Lieberman are a waste of time. But Bush has no intentions of ending the Iraq debacle on his watch. I think the next president will.
As the new British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, stated in his recent meeting with Bush, the fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan remains front and center, not Iraq. But Bush abandoned the real fight in Afghanistan to launch his vanity war against a broken country, Iraq.
Even a Bush administration official speaking anonymously three days ago said that of the 80 or so foreign fighters crossing Iraq's borders to join the insurgents, 50 are from Saudi Arabia. In case Joe Lieberman doesn't remember, it was al-Qaeda operatives including 15 of the 19 hijacker bombers from Saudi Arabia who attacked us on September 11, 2001. Iraq had absolutely nothing to do with al Qaeda in March 2003 when Bush unilaterally decided to immolate tens of thousands of Iraqi men, women and children with his shock and awe bombings, invasion and occupation of that country.
And in case Joe Lieberman has also forgotten, it was the anti-Semitic Iraqi government whose Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, stood with his entire parliament last summer in the Lebanon-Israeli conflict and denounced Israel and gave their support to the terrorist group, Hezbollah. Joe Lieberman is pursuing the same Bush senseless, vanity war which has killed tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens and put over 3,650 U.S. military in body bags.
Joe Lieberman is not only a hypocrite and a turncoat to our democratic principles, but he is a traitor to our country for aligning himself with the most inflexible, divisive, corrupt, world-destroying G. W. Bush who continues to hold America hostage to his ego while he uses the pretext of his war to simultaneously strip away the rights and freedoms for all Americans contained in the United States Constitution. Joe Lieberman, like G. W. Bush, is an abomination to everything our country stands for.
If the voters in Connecticut have the opportunity, they should begin circulating petitions to have Lieberman recalled. Their state deserves better and our country deserves better.
You have to wonder what kind of inferiority complex this guy is trying to compensate for when it takes blowing up Iran to make him feel like a man.
Indeed. I wonder about all the CT voters who think they've been had, and they have. Vote for an independent and get a toady to the President's illegal, immoral policies -- the war chief among them. He is, as my grandma would have said, a shonda (a shame) for the Jews, not all of whom are so enamored of Israel's actions and many of whom (me too) are dreaded liberals.
Another 'Israeli for War'. He should just move to Tel Aviv and live with his constituency. What a slime-bag. Are people in north-east really that dim to elect this turd ?
This will probably get me a lot of flack but I gotta say it anyway.
I drives me absolutely bonkers to listen to all this disingenous wonderment about Lieberman's reasoning on foreign policy.
Lieberman is a devout Jew.
More relevant is he is a strong, strong supporter of the right-wing Likud faction in Israel.
As is a large part of his constituency.
And they have every right to be.
THEY support the war and occupation of Iraq.
THEY are one of the driving forces behind the hard line stance on Iran. And THEY are a leading force behind the scenes pushing for a military attack against Iran.
Again, that is absolutely their right.
The truth is everyone in our government, and media is afraid to be targeted by the Israeli lobby.
So much so that everyone tiptoes around the obvious.
It will do no good for me to say that I am not anti-semetic. No matter what one says along these lines on this topic gets attacked.
But we must separate what is good for the U.S. from what is good for Israel if we EVER want to see improvement in the Middle East.
OK.....I await the letters calling for my head:).
all the best
Though it is good to hear what everyone is saying, I still feel like I waste my own time even thinking about Lieberman's statements.