Posted on 02/21/2006 7:08:27 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
FORMER US president Bill Clinton has urged western and Muslim leaders to hold talks following the recent outrage over cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed.
Violent protests have been held around the world following the publication of a series of cartoons – initially printed in a Danish newspaper – depicting Mohammed.
The protests resulted in several deaths and buildings being firebombed.
Mr Clinton today said it was important to find out what was behind the cartoon and the reasons for their publication.
"I think that we ought to have such an attempt to take all of this brouhaha (about the cartoons) ... and use it to force a dialogue," Mr Clinton told a global business forum in Sydney.
"Does anybody here know whether that cartoonist knew that it was blasphemous when he did the picture of Mohammed?
"We could use this thing to build bridges instead of burning them and we need to do that more." Mr Clinton made the comments following a wide-ranging speech to about 1000 business men and women in Sydney.
He spent almost two hours addressing the conference despite complaining of feeling unwell.
In his speech, Mr Clinton said there was a need for countries to work closely to tackle the problem of global warming, just as many nations had done in fighting terrorism.
He also took several questions from the floor, covering topics including terrorism, Australia's trade relationship with the US, allied troops in Iraq, and whether his wife Hillary Clinton would be in the race for the White House in 2008.
Mr Clinton told the audience he believed there was a chance of a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, but no chance of the US striking any deal with al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
And the former president joined Foreign Minister Alexander Downer to announce the provision of up to $25 million to strengthen efforts to deliver HIV/AIDS treatment in the Asia Pacific.
Invite Osama Bin Ladin.
Yeah..Bill..blame the cartoonist....
It is that attitude that contributed to 9/11!
Let's keep talking. War is coming anyway so what the hell.
How can we miss Clinton if he won't go away?
If WE have to put up with him, it's only fair YOU have to put up with him.
After all, WE didn't elect him...
Must be why he's called Clintoon....
You seem to be out of touch. Some demented individual drew a picture! The evil of one man drawing a picture far outweighs deadly riots, death threats, the recall of ambassadors over said picture, and massive boycotts.
WRONG! Initially printed to very little ado, in an EGYPTIAN newspaper.
The whacko Muslims are just using the Danish reprints as another excuse to pitch a fit at the west. It's our fault that after 5,000 years they haven't progressed beyond riding camels and starving to death in the freaking desert.
Let's see. Iran is about to go nuclear. North Korea already has.
Hugo Chavez is causing major problems in Latin America.
And the 'Toon wants to call a Cartoon Summit?
Do ya think maybe it was prtraying the prophet as a leader of the terrorists? Clinton didn't care why the Twin Towers were bombed, the first time, on his watch or about getting Bin Laden. Why is he concerned now? Go play with an intern, Bubba, and leave the grown-up stuff to W!
Clinton Urges Cartoon Talks
And on a related topic, have you seen the talking cartoons of Bill?
http://billforfirstlady.com/billsvideo/
The 9/11 facilitator speaks. Thanks for showing us the path for capitulation.
Does the Great Stainmaker have his eyes on some NGO office, like the UN?
Past presidents, having served their time, have gone in the background and kept a low profile. Why doesn't this baffon do the same?
Why can't the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote just get along?
"Does anybody here know whether that cartoonist knew that it was blasphemous when he did the picture of Mohammed? "
Does anybody here know whether mohammed knew that it was blasphemous when he denied Christ was God and founded a religion where everyone must bow down and pray to a false idol, a city, several times a day?
What an unwise man.
What was I thinking??
It might have something to do with "Show me the MONEY"!!!
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