Posted on 07/24/2003 12:59:26 AM PDT by rmlew
Israel Lobby Watch
Pipes vote fails to draw quorum
Jennifer Salan, Arab American Institute, 23 July 2003
Washington, DC -- Today after a contentious executive session of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on the nomination of Daniel Pipes to the board of the U.S. Institute for Peace, the Committee lost a working quorum. Based on an AAI initiative, organizations present agreed that they would send a joint letter to the White House asking that the President withdraw this nominee from consideration.
During the Committee's discussion of the Pipes nomination, it became clear that many of the Senators had questions and concerns regarding whether or not Pipes should serve on the Board of the United States Institute of Peace. The ranking Democratic member, Senator Edward Kennedy, noted his dismay regarding Pipes offensive and alarmist quotes about "brown-skinned" immigrants. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) agreed with Senator Kennedy and stated he was opposed to the Pipes nomination.
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) recalled poignant stories from his childhood of his immigrant mother. He described her as a devout woman who took pride in her heritage but was fully American. Senator Harkin indicated that he saw no contradiction in one's being proud of their ethnicity or faith and being American. He added that Cedar Rapids is home to the oldest American mosque and that the community flourishes as an example of religious diversity and co-existence. Senator Harkin went on to express his reservations about Pipes questioning the "enfranchisement" rights and "affluence" of Muslims and called Pipes a "lightning rod".
Senator John Warner (R-VA) added that given what he had heard, he had many more questions regarding the nominee and thought that it deserved closer investigation. At one point, Senator Kennedy could be seen leaning over to Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-NH) and whispering in his ear before leaving the room. It was at that point that the Committee lost its working quorum. Previously the Committee had approved other nominees without debate and by unanimous consent.
Following the Committee session, community leaders in attendance from AAI, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and the Muslim American Society (MAS) among others agreed to send a joint-letter requesting that President Bush withdraw Pipes' nomination.
"The Senate should have never been put in the difficult position of considering such a controversial candidate. The Administration should withdraw Daniel Pipes nomination. He is clearly unfit to serve on the board of the U.S. Institute of Peace," said AAI Managing Director Jean AbiNader.
Jennifer Salan is Communications Director of the Arab American Institute (AAI). Founded in 1985, the AAI is a nonprofit organization committed to the civic and political empowerment of Americans of Arab descent. AAI provides policy, research and public affairs services to support a broad range of community activities. Visit the AAI's website at www.aaiusa.org
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Personally, I think that Pipes opened himself up to false charges of McCarthyism when he set up the Campus-Watch program. The charges are ridicuouls, but if enough mud is thrown, some sticks.
The case against Pipes seems to be based on a number of un-PC things he has actually written or those that were taken out of context: http://www.aaiusa.org/pipes.htm
If there still is a possibilty of this going through, Sen Warner needs to be targeted. I think that we could try to press some of the better Representatives from VA to get Warner to change his mind.
While Pipes's nomination may be a lost cause, it is important to publically support him. We cannot allow the Islamists to control our bureaucracy. CAIR, AAI, AADC et all are a Fifth Column in our current war. Some of their members have openly associated themselves with Hamas and PIJ.
It is bad enough that Karl Rove and Grover Norquist have been duped into neutralizing the administration on this issue. We cannot allow Congress to fail at its duty. Even if we cannot resserect the nomination, we can turn Pipes into a martyr in the Media. If we can make the Senators' craven surrender into a talk show topic, we can force Warner and even some of the Democrats (Edwards from NC!) to change their position. (Edwards is running for president as a New Democrat. If we can paint him as soft on terrorism, he is in trouble. He is also up for re-election as a senator in 2004. Clinton, Dodd, and Kennedy will not bend but Warner and Edwards are vulnerable.
We have lost the first battle over Pipes's nomination. Time to fight back
http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?intarticleid=13036&intcategoryid=3
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0703/gaffney_2003_07_22.php3
Btw charges of "McCarthyism" are always false because McCarthy was almost always correct in all of his allegations( his personal defects in being a homo drunk who lied about his military record aside).
He was right though not a "witchhunter".
Joe was correct, valiant, and a true HERO !
Of course he was driven to it by the constant attacks on him by the left. They needed to discredit McCarthy to get back in business again.
Quote: Tibi explains: "In this sense Muslims believe that expansion through war is not aggression but a fulfillment of the Koranic command to spread Islam as a way to peace. The resort to force to disseminate Islam is not war (harb), a word that is used only to describe the use of force by non-Muslims."
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