Posted on 10/29/2008 9:34:59 PM PDT by CrosscutSaw
IRI Statement Regarding Work with Palestinians
For Immediate Release October 29, 2008
Washington, DC – “Questions have arisen regarding the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) work with Palestinians in the 1990s.
“In the 1990s, IRI gave grants to the Center for Palestinian Research and Studies (CPRS) for polling in the West Bank/Gaza. The polls measured support for the peace process, for various Palestinian political groups, and for efforts to enhance governance in the West Bank/Gaza. At that time no other organization could credibly conduct polling in the West Bank/Gaza.
“We understand that Rashid Khalidi was one of the many founders of CPRS, and we understand that he was for some (unclear) amount of time a board member. IRI did not in the 1990s conduct background checks of grantees’ founders or board members. IRI did on a number of occasions vet CPRS as an organization, including, as was our custom, with the Israeli government, and we were given no cause for concern.
“We do not recall any contact between Mr. Khalidi and IRI, and there is no evidence that Mr. Khalidi benefitted in any way from IRI's grants.
“Other organizations that reportedly gave funding to CPRS include the National Endowment for Democracy, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Center for International Private Enterprise, the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations, the Japanese Embassy, and Germany’s Friedrich Naumann Stiftung.
“IRI’s relationship with CPRS ended in 2000, and we understand that it no longer exists.”
http://www.iri.org/newsreleases/2008-10-29-IRI.asp
“In the 1990s, IRI gave grants to the Center for Palestinian Research and Studies (CPRS) for polling in the West Bank/Gaza. The polls measured support for the peace process, for various Palestinian political groups, and for efforts to enhance governance in the West Bank/Gaza. At that time no other organization could credibly conduct polling in the West Bank/Gaza.
“We understand that Rashid Khalidi was one of the many founders of CPRS, and we understand that he was for some (unclear) amount of time a board member. IRI did not in the 1990s conduct background checks of grantees’ founders or board members. IRI did on a number of occasions vet CPRS as an organization, including, as was our custom, with the Israeli government, and we were given no cause for concern.
“We do not recall any contact between Mr. Khalidi and IRI, and there is no evidence that Mr. Khalidi benefitted in any way from IRI’s grants.
So much for the “moral equivalence” argument. Senator McCain never socialized with Khalidi or his ilk and never attended “Jew bashing” parties alongside domestic terrorists such as Ayers and Dorhn.
It is important for this information be widely circulated to counter the Obama campaign’s argument that because the IRI gave grants to the CPRS it somehow ties McCain to Khalidi even though Mccain had no personal relationship with him.
Obama sure “pals around” with a lot of bad people.
BTT
I saw the topic of McCain’s group giving grant money to Khalidi’s group brought up on a few newstalk shows tonight and no one seemed prepared or informed enough to respond with the facts and how there really is no comparison with Obama having a personal relationship with Khalidi and a group McCain chaired giving grant money to the CPRS.
It’s important that these facts be presented in rebuttal to the Obama camp’s misleading contention that “McCain associated with Khalidi too” especially if the LATimes tape does get released.
Spread the word. Ignorance of the truth is our greatest enemy.
btt
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