Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Rep. Duncan Hunter: 'I Will Never Abandon Israel'
NewsMax ^ | 05/23/2007 | Dave Eberhart

Posted on 05/22/2007 5:46:32 PM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- "I can pledge this to you: If I should be elected president of the United States, I will never, never, never abandon Israel," emphatically announced Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., before enthused attendees of "A Night to Honor Israel" at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall at Northern Virginia Community College, Sunday night.

Hunter, an announced presidential candidate, immediately followed an impassioned plea from Rev. Jan Willem Van Der Hoven, who in his "Greetings from Israel" address declared that an American pull-out in Iraq would be tantamount to an abandonment of Israel, a nation surrounded by enemies in the Middle East. "Let's not trade oil for Jews!" he exclaimed.

For his part, Hunter did nothing to distance himself from the inflamed rhetoric, adding some of his own: "As a member of the United States Congress, I never supported giving up one inch of the state of Israel and that will always be my position!"

Hunter has been a Republican member of the House of Representatives since 1981 from California's 52nd congressional district in northern and eastern San Diego. A Vietnam veteran, he served in the 173rd Airborne and 75th Army Rangers. His son, Duncan D. Hunter, an Iraq war veteran, is currently a candidate for his congressional seat in 2008.

The senior Hunter became chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in 2002. He formally announced his presidential candidacy in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on Jan. 25, 2007.

Hunter zeroed in on a theme of a common threat faced by both the U.S. and Israel — incoming missiles tipped with engines of mass destruction, either nuclear or chemical.

"I can tell you — we will see offensive ballistic missiles aimed at the United States of America that will not fall harmlessly into the Sea of Japan or in the Pacific Ocean. They will have to be taken down," Hunter warned.

Citing rogue nations "charging down the path of nuclear weapons," being aided and abetted by those nations willing to sell military hardware, Hunter advised: "That means at some point the United States and Israel are going to have to stand together and defend against the incoming ballistic missiles."

Hunter recounted the clandestine attack by Israel in 1981 on the light-water nuclear materials testing reactor in Osirak, Iraq. It was crippled by Israeli aircraft in "Operation Opera" — a pre-emptive attack to prevent Saddam Hussein from using the reactor for the creation of nuclear weapons.

After the attack by the eight F-16 aircrafts, Hunter recalled, many world leaders publicly chastised the action as a terrible thing. "Then, they all walked into their offices, and I can tell you this, they closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief . . . because Israel had the courage that none of them had."

Last week, Hunter spearheaded a measure aimed at creating closer U.S. and Israeli defenses against ballistic missiles of the type that could be fired by Iran.

Part of a $504 billion defense spending bill passed last Thursday, the measure would redirect $205 million in DoD funds toward projects already underway in Israel — providing $25 million more for Arrow missile co-production and integration, $45 million for a U.S.-Israeli short-range missile defense system called "David's Sling" and $135 million to buy a Theater High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, fire unit.

All three projects involve interceptors designed to shoot down ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of their flight paths.

In his Sunday night address, Hunter likened the current situation in the world with the challenged faced by America in the 1920s, when Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell "went to visit with a Republican Administration and said ‘we have to spend a lot of money on air power . . .'"

Today, Hunter said, we face a similar crisis – in the form of terrorists with technology.

"We are going to have to meet that technology with American technology and with Israeli technology - we are going to do it, and just as Winston Churchill said ‘never, never, never give up.'"


TOPICS: Israel; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: duncanhunter; israel; missiledefense; sdi
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-56 next last
This man is a staunch friend of Israel. God bless him!
1 posted on 05/22/2007 5:46:34 PM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Ultra Sonic 007; Salem

Duncan Hunter is a good man. It’s too bad he’s not a viable candidate.

Perhaps he can be Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense.


2 posted on 05/22/2007 5:47:22 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued (If the GOP were to stop worshiping Free Trade as if it were a religion, they'd win every election)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant; Antoninus; Paperdoll; AuntB; Calpernia; wagglebee; rob21; alicewonders; airborne; ...

Don’t have access to the full list ATM, so pissant or Antoninus, you’ll have to ping em’.

Hunter/Israel bump!


3 posted on 05/22/2007 5:47:55 PM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007 (Why vote for Duncan Hunter in 2008? Look at my profile.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Salem; SJackson; jveritas; pissant
Hunter recounted the clandestine attack by Israel in 1981 on the light-water nuclear materials testing reactor in Osirak, Iraq. It was crippled by Israeli aircraft in "Operation Opera" — a pre-emptive attack to prevent Saddam Hussein from using the reactor for the creation of nuclear weapons. After the attack by the eight F-16 aircrafts, Hunter recalled, many world leaders publicly chastised the action as a terrible thing. "Then, they all walked into their offices, and I can tell you this, they closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief . . . because Israel had the courage that none of them had."

Hunter gets it.

4 posted on 05/22/2007 5:49:13 PM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007 (Why vote for Duncan Hunter in 2008? Look at my profile.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ultra Sonic 007

He’s got my vote.


5 posted on 05/22/2007 5:49:24 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Greed is NOT a conservative ideal.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ultra Sonic 007

The more I hear about this guy, the more I like. I plan on voting for him, eventhough it may not have a chance. But he’s the only Republican that’s a Republican.


6 posted on 05/22/2007 5:49:46 PM PDT by WKUHilltopper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ImaGraftedBranch

God blesses those who bless Israel, sir.


7 posted on 05/22/2007 5:50:35 PM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007 (Why vote for Duncan Hunter in 2008? Look at my profile.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ultra Sonic 007

After the attack by the eight F-16 aircrafts, Hunter recalled, many world leaders publicly chastised the action as a terrible thing. “Then, they all walked into their offices, and I can tell you this, they closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief . . . because Israel had the courage that none of them had.”
***Yup. And where would we be today if Iraq had a healthy nuclear program? Would Iraq have used nukes in their war on Iran? Remember they used chemical & bio weapons. Would they have used nukes in GulfWarI? You betcha. We are in Israel’s debt.


8 posted on 05/22/2007 5:51:51 PM PDT by Kevmo (Duncan Hunter just needs one Rudy G Campaign Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Ultra Sonic 007

I’m for Hunter.


9 posted on 05/22/2007 5:53:27 PM PDT by marron
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WKUHilltopper

If I’ve learned one thing over the past few years it’s that my conscience feels a heck of a lot better if I don’t hold my nose to vote. At this point there are only two men in the race that fit the bill and neither one of them are among the top tier.

In any case I’ll be voting my conscience and the GOP be damned.


10 posted on 05/22/2007 5:53:56 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Greed is NOT a conservative ideal.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Ultra Sonic 007
Bravo. I would hope Hunter would clean out the infestion of Arabists from Foggy Bottom as well.

....which would essentially mean cleaning out that entire dept., of course.

11 posted on 05/22/2007 5:53:58 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ultra Sonic 007

..F-16s, which I built electronics for—the first time the Falcon was used in a combat situation...


12 posted on 05/22/2007 5:54:46 PM PDT by WalterSkinner ( ..when there is any conflict between God and Caesar -- guess who loses?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Ultra Sonic 007
Duncan Hunter Bump!
13 posted on 05/22/2007 5:55:15 PM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marron

Too bad the American Jew will not only not vote for him but venomously attack his Republican party.

Their motto is never again....until they let them


14 posted on 05/22/2007 5:59:38 PM PDT by Cyman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

>Duncan Hunter is a good man. It’s too bad he’s not a viable candidate.<

If you love your country and want to preserve it for your descendants, you had better get on your knees and pray that he wins, Cf. You had better dig deep in your pockets to insure his campaign. You had better roll up your sleeves and pitch in to get the word out about him. Because no other man running, or not yet running, has the qualifications needed to retain our sovereignty, and freedoms which so many have died for through the centuries than Duncan Hunter.


15 posted on 05/22/2007 6:03:03 PM PDT by Paperdoll ( Duncan Hunter '08)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Cyman
Some Jews will vote for him.

....like yours truly, for instance.

I'll be sending this article around the email circuit; hopefully it catches fire.

16 posted on 05/22/2007 6:05:58 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Ultra Sonic 007
I heard him today for the first on on Laura Ingraham, and could get a better "feel" of who he is. I was impressed !

However, it is my belief that THE MEDIA is the one who makes Presidents..and Duncan, according to how the media works, just isn't sexy enough. They wouldn't have juicy stories, scandals, women , etc. to latch on to. Sad, he is a good man from what I have seen so far.

17 posted on 05/22/2007 6:10:24 PM PDT by Neenah (Looking for Mr. Smith to come back to Washington !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]

----------------------------

18 posted on 05/22/2007 6:12:30 PM PDT by SJackson (Be careful -- with quotations, you can damn anything, Andre Malraux)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ultra Sonic 007
This man is a staunch friend of Israel. God bless him!

He has been for decades. I doubt that translates into votes though. And with the exception of Paul, all the Republican candidates are pro-Israel and pro-WOT.

19 posted on 05/22/2007 6:15:07 PM PDT by SJackson (Be careful -- with quotations, you can damn anything, Andre Malraux)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Neenah
However, it is my belief that THE MEDIA is the one who makes Presidents

I do my own voting.
20 posted on 05/22/2007 6:21:55 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Greed is NOT a conservative ideal.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-56 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson