Kerry: Terrorist Shiite Al-Sadr 'A Legitimate Voice'

NewsMax.com ^ | April 7, 2004 | Carl Limbacher

[Carl/NewsMax]

In an interview broadcast Wednesday morning, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry defended terrorist Shiite imam Moqtada al-Sadr as a "legitimate voice" in Iraq, despite that fact that he's led an uprising that has killed nearly 20 American GIs in the last two days.

Speaking of al-Sadr's newspaper, which was shut down by coalition forces last week after it urged violence against U.S. troops, Kerry complained to National Public Radio, "They shut a newspaper that belongs to a legitimate voice in Iraq."

In the next breath, however, the White House hopeful caught himself and quickly changed direction, adding, "Well, let me . . . change the term legitimate. It belongs to a voice — because he has clearly taken on a far more radical tone in recent days and aligned himself with both Hamas and Hezbollah, which is a sort of terrorist alignment."

But Kerry again seemed to voice sympathy for the Shiite terrorist when asked whether he supported al Sadr's arrest. "Not if it’s an isolated act without the other kinds of steps necessary to change the dynamics on the ground in Iraq," Kerry told NPR, in quotes first reported by the New York Sun.

"If all we do is make war against the Iraqi people and continue an American occupation, fundamentally, without a clarity as to who and how sovereignty is being turned over, we have a very serious problem for the long run here," Kerry added. "And I think this administration is just walking dead center down into that trap."

On March 28, the U.S.-led coalition authorities closed al-Sadr's newspaper, al-Hawza, for 60 days, the Sun reported. L. Paul Bremer, the chief U.S. administrator in Iraq, charged that said the newspaper had published false stories blaming the coalition forces for local acts of terrorism.

[Kaslin]

John F-N Kerry...Saddam Appeaser

[abner]

Thanks Carl. I hadn't heard that.

Shout it from the rooftops everybody!

[boxerblues]

Way to go Jf'nK I knew you wouldn't let us down in your attacks.

[Puddleglum]

Will this guy even make it to November? He's likely to suffer a death by 1000 cuts, all inflicted by his own mouth.

[boris]

Article. III.
Section. 3.
"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court."

[knak]

Kerry makes me ill.

[Unam Sanctam]

If all we do is make war against the Iraqi people

Is this what the Democratic presidential candidate thinks we're doing in Iraq? He sounds like International ANSWER. What a jerk!

[freedomson]

Aw, he's just jealous that Sadr appears to hate America more than he does.

[MrB]

It belongs to a voice — because he has clearly taken on a far more radical tone in recent days and aligned himself with both Hamas and Hezbollah, which is a sort of terrorist alignment

Anyone have a "Democratic National Socialist to English" translator?

[ladtx]

Surely Mr. Kerry misspoke. Surely he meant "A legitimate TARGET". < /SARCASM>

[js1138]

In the next breath, however, the White House hopeful caught himself and quickly changed direction...

[tractorman]

There’s a fine line between politics and treason.

[vandykelastone]

You spend enought time with Hanoi Jane and some of it rubs off. I rest my case.

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[smith288]

John Kerry doesnt have half a clue of whats going on in Iraq. He probably doesnt even know who Sadr is. He probably just thinks he is some innocent Shia cleric who ran a newspaper that was shut down thanks to our terroristic military. *cough*

[rintense]

Kerry, read my tagline. You are a terrorist appeaser and will NOT gain any credibility with ANYONE by saying this Sadr nut has a legit voice- especially since he wants to kill American soldiers.

Kerry is guilty of aiding the enemy- just like he did during the Vietnam war.

[threat matrix]

Censure him in the US Senate!

[Montaignes Cat]

Satan is a legitimate voice amongst the angels of Heaven.

[mtbopfuyn]

Kerry is an illegitimate voice of America.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Too bad that Kerry supporters are as stupid as he is.

[Gefreiter]

"a sort of terrorist alignment"

What are sort of terrorists? Does Hamas sort of blow up Israelis? Are those sort of suicide bombers wearing sort of explosive vests?

This is a new low for Kerry, but he'll get a pass.

[An.American.Expatriate]

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew this guy was low, but, Good Lord ... isn't he on the Intelligence Committee or something? Is he so out of touch with what is going on / who is who over there?? And he wants me to vote for him??

To quote from a famous book, "I do not like it. Not one little bit."

[varina davis]

Live video on Drudge now from Al Jazeera. Problem is, I can't interpret, but the footage is interesting.

[Hegemony Cricket]

Sounds like J-Fn-K may be considering a running mate...

[Eva]

Kerry returns to his roots. Next we will be hearing the accusations of war crimes and atrocities committed by US troops.

[LADY J]

"It belongs to a voice — because he has clearly taken on a far more radical tone in recent days and aligned himself with both Hamas and Hezbollah, which is a sort of terrorist alignment."

Hey Kerry - you appeaser - what do you mean 'sort of terrorist alignment'!!

We need someone with brains as CIC!!

[dfwgator]

John Kerry is not a "legitimate voice."

[thoughtomator]

Un-frickin-believable... Al-Sadr is wanted in two murders!

[dalebert]

You can always count on Kerry to attept turning the tragic loss of our brave men into political gain. He must appeal to the America haters for political donations.

[Arrowhead1952]

Kerry complained to National Public Radio, "They shut a newspaper that belongs to a legitimate voice in Iraq."

In the next breath, however, the White House hopeful caught himself and quickly changed direction, adding, "Well, let me . . . change the term legitimate. It belongs to a voice —

The old flip flop trick is back in order. Just like, "Actually, I voted for the war, before I voted against it."

Can F;ing Kerry do another flip flop today?

[johnb838]

Wow... there are a number of issues that he is so dead wrong on that if he wants to be a legitimate candidate he just needs to keep his mouth shut. But he think she needs to take a position and he stakes out the enemy line every time. Who was it that said that if it was legitimate dissent, at some point the laws of chance would dictate they would come down on our side on some issue?

Newsflash: al-Sadr people claiming to have prisoners. Good fighting weather in Iraq, clear highs in the 80s.

[AppyPappy]

Jiminy, he stutters like Porky Pig when asked a question.

[Peter J. Huss]

Thats it! I am withdrawing my support for Sen. Kerry!

[dighton]

With help from babelfish, Kerry's original words:

Speaking of al-Sadr's newspaper, which was shut down by coalition forces last week after it urged violence against U.S. troops, Kerry complained to National Public Radio, "Ils ferment un journal qui appartient à une voix légitime en Irak."

In the next breath, however, the White House hopeful caught himself and quickly changed direction, adding, "Bien, laissez-moi. . . changez la limite légitime. Elle appartient à une voix -- parce qu'il a clairement pris une tonalité bien plus radicale en jours récents et s'est aligné avec Hamas et Hezbollah, qui est une sorte d'alignement de terroriste."

[Eva]

Kerry returns to his roots. Next we will be hearing the accusations of war crimes and atrocities committed by US troops. I hope this means that Kerry has come full circle and will be ending his political career the same way he began it, by exploiting the American armed forces while they face the enemy.

[Belisaurius]

It took me a minute to realize that this was not from The Onion. What an ignorant POS.

[RightOnline]

What a shockingly stupid, tone-deaf, blindly idiotic thing to say.

Kerry, just keep talking. You're screwing yourself deeper into a hole you'll NEVER climb out of.

[Sacajaweau]

Kerry's freakin' unbelievable. Hitler would have loved him.

[manic4organic]

Ditto. He's run out of feet to shoot himself in, but the media will gloss over this just like everything else.

[Teacher317]

"Every opinion is equally valid"... pure BS. Those who flew airliners into the Towers had an opinion. They thought Americans should be killed for the vile offense of being Americans. It was NOT equally valid with the opinions of those in the Towers, who just wanted to go to work, go home to their families, and watch tv.

[Samwise]

[StriperSniper]

I may need someone to bail me out if I cross paths with this TRAITOR!!!

[RetiredArmy]

Please accept my humble apologies here, but I have to rant this: This SOB Kerry has got to go! What a slime ball. If America elects this SOB, I am moving out because this nation will cease to be what it was founded as!

[NativeNewYorker]

MAGNIFIQUE!

[TrueBeliever9]

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry defended terrorist Shiite imam Moqtada al-Sadr as a "legitimate voice" in Iraq!

And Ralph Nader calling for Bush's impeachment - but not a from the media that Nader is an Arab and was called by the Arabs "our man" in the last presidental campaign!

[Young Werther]

So killing, dismembering and hanging the remains of Americans from a bridge is a legitimate voice?

Oh, I forgot! J Fn' Kerry was a member of a group who believed that the violent overthrow of the US government was a voice for peace!

Kerry, you animal, Go the F away!

[goldstategop]

From the pen of the inmitable Israeli cudgemeon Steven Plaut, comes this report on the events in Fallujah signed by a guy John F. Kerry would also praise to the heavens given the chance:

No FAIR! A Letter of Protest to an American Soldier from a Fallujah Activist

Hey, yank. NO FAIR! You did not behave the way you were supposed to. Sure, all we did was kill some American soldiers in cold blood and drag their bodies through the streets for people to spit on. But that is certainly not a reason for you guys to react the way you did.

Well, to tell you the truth, we expected you to react like Israelis. We figured that if we kill a few of your people, your government will start whining about how there is no military solution to the problems of terror, that the problem is that the world has failed to understand the suffering of the Iraqi "Other", and that occupation is the worst crime on the planet. We expected your government to react like Shimon Peres, and to offer to arm the people who murdered the soldiers and bankroll them, to help put them in power lest the really radical terrorists take power. We were sure the yanks would invite the Shi'ite and Sunni militia chief who are killing American and Allied soldiers to set up their own state and to annex sections of Washington DC.

I mean, why should not the Americans respond to our terror the same way the Israelis do? Why do they not label our killers activists and militants? Why do they not try to win us over with goodwill gestures and concessions? Why do they not offer to change the American national anthem and the flag to make us feel more accepted? Why do they not let our agents serve as Congressmen and Senators? Why do they not pay subsidies to the widows and orphans of Iraqi suicide bombers, like the Israelis do? Why doesn't the American President lecture his public about how the whole war is their own fault, that they have been insensitive and trying to rule over another people? Why doesn't the US respond to the terror by disarming unilaterally, like the Israelis do? Why don't the Americans send delegations to Geneva to sign agreements in which they capitulate to all our demands? Why don't they offer us control over the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial? Why don't they let us move to Virginia and Maryland in the thousands?

Not only are you not behaving like Israelis, but you are not even behaving like Clinton. We recall how Clinton ordered the Americans to run away with their tails between their legs when the Somalis killed a few. SO how dare you!

How dare you round up and mow down 130 Iraqi terrorists in just one day? How dare you respond to our Tet Offensive, our Intifada, through force of arms? How dare you respond other than with cowardice and defeatism? How dare you fight back? How dare you exhibit courage?

Have you not learned anything at all from the Israelis? Don't you know there are no military ways to fight terror?

Signed,
A Fallujah Activist

[hope]

"In the next breath, however, the White House hopeful caught himself and quickly changed direction, adding, "Well, let me . . . change the term legitimate. It belongs to a voice — because he has clearly taken on a far more radical tone in recent days and aligned himself with both Hamas and Hezbollah, which is a sort of terrorist alignment."

Typical of Kerry...He doesn't belong as a leader in the senate much leader the leader of the free world.