Cherie Blair and Ted Turner

[cerulean]

Ted Turner says in an interview with The Guardian that Palestinians have to fight with suicide bombers because that's all they have.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,739466,00.html

Within 24 hours of that article being published, Cherie Blair says that Palestinians "feel they have got no hope but to blow themselves up" at a charity banquet, with the Queen of Jordan beside her. The purpose of the charity banquet was to raise money for medical aid for Palestinians.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/news/story.html?in_review_id=617200&in_review_text_id=586559

The article notes she apologizes for any offense, but I fail to see any apology for the substance of what she said.

Thus, within 24 hours we have two of what should be the most well-informed Westerners alive on this planet who have both made statements that will serve as continued justification for yet more suicide murders against innocent Israelis. They've now both given the world an insight into their perspectives, but this is likely the world view they have had for decades.

[minusthejihad]

I am glad someone submitted this thread for discussion. I was just about to post it myself.

I'm sure we've all known what an idiot Ted Turner has always been. And as far as Mrs. Blair, well, I guess when you hang out with people raising money for what seems a good cause (although this money will eventually see its way into terrorist's hands, especially if it funnels through the PA), those are things you have to say to appease these people.

What iritates me is the US and Great Britain playing both sides all the time. I'm sure after several rounds of suicide bombings within these two countries, the citizens and their appointed officials will quickly discern between members of Al Qiada and Palestinian Homicide Bombers - Same thing.

I would like to see Ted Turner bend over backwards and do as these terrorists say when CNN or AOL/Time-Warner is their target. Since this is the policy of all Western Governments who are constantly proving that terrorism works.

Personally as a Russian/American Jew, I will do as much as possibly to make sure my money never reaches AOL/Time-Warner in any possible way. This means all their media: films, music, news, internet, etc. If this means this middle of the road, non-conservative has to watch Fox News over CNN, so be it. Our people need to band together moreso than we do today. We've survived as a people since the beginning of recorded history, and as for another round of anti-semitism, I'm ready for it. I'm arming myself to protect my family and friends, Jew and Gentile.

[L@mplighterM]

Even if she did apologize in the strongest terms I’m certain that she would only do so to save her husbands political ass. Further, I fully believe she still means what she said. Her hands will be stained with the blood of Israeli children, women or men the next time blood is spilt.

Back in the 60’s and 70’s anyone that was even considered pink was barred entry into the US. Times change!

I’m certain that even though she made statements that justify terrorist acts against Israeli civilians she’ll still be allowed into the US. These acts are classified as HOMICIDE in the US and that means that she has justified or condoned MURDER .

What’s the difference between her and the bin Laden’s of the world? Did her statement mean that all the supporters of Israel are fair targets?

Can her philosophical opinion be extended to the IRA?


PS. I just noticed that my post had apostrophes instead of question marks. Something is finally working.

[cerulean]

Good post, minusthejihad.

For some reason, I keep on expecting that rationality should win out. Turner and Blair's comments make me realize this is not the case at all.

[L@mplighterM]

Originally posted by cerulean
Good post, minusthejihad.

For some reason, I keep on expecting that rationality should win out. Turner and Blair's comments make me realize this is not the case at all.

Rationality is an elusive thing and it could be debated endlessly. Individuals could have IQ’s as low as 80 or even lower and agree that statements that condone or justify organized murder of civilians are wrong. On the other hand people like Blair’s wife exist that with above average IQ (she’s a lawyer) display sociopath or psychopath tendencies.

[cerulean]

http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2002/06/19/dl1901.xml&sSheet=/opinion/2002/06/19/ixopinion.html

From the article:

...Mrs Blair did not preface her remarks with a loud condemnation, after the fashion of the Prime Minister or the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw. And, pace Number 10's assertion that this was a charitable and not a political event, requiring no clearance of her remarks with officials beforehand, nobody in the Middle East or elsewhere will take that seriously.
...

Mrs Blair completely misunderstands the motivation behind the suicide attacks. They are not caused by lack of "hope". Rather, they are fuelled by a surfeit of hope: first, the hope that the bombers will go to heaven if they murder Jews; secondly, the hope that their families will be rewarded by the Iraqi and Saudi governments to the tune of $25,000; and thirdly, the hope that they will destroy Israel.

...
====
I think The Telegraph has had a number of pro-Israel articles.

[cerulean]

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_610668.html

Now the British Foreign Secretary has stepped into the fray. He claims to have "compassion" for "depressed and misguided" suicide bombers, while condemning the "evil" terrorist leaders.

However, while the bombers are definitely misguided, it is far from clear that they are depressed. And this statement still tends to relieve suicide bombers from their moral obligations.

[Gatorade]

Back to the Ted Turner comments...

What does he think the Palestinians suicide bombers are fighting for? What are the ends they are trying to achieve?

This is the question that never asked when people make statements like he made.

If a person says that they are fighting for the end of the occupation of the West Bank, it has to be pointed out that the Palestinians were offered over 90+ percent of the West Bank and all of the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian leader rejected this offer and never presented a counter offer.

Also it has to be noted that the suicide bombers started when the peace negotiations began.

The suicide bombers are not morally equivelent to Israeli. Israel is willing to negotiate peacefully and accepts the creation a Palestinian state as a end result of the negotiations. The suicide bombers reject any peaceful sollution and want to liberate all of historic (meaning Israel) Palestine.

And of course, the other major difference between suicide bombers and the IDF is intent. The suicide bombers intentionally kill and harm innocent civilians. The IDF does its best job to minimize the harm caused to innocent civilians.

[Mediocrates]

I will try to stay out of the usual political carping but perhaps this is a disease of first ladies. Our own former first lady entertained a meeting with Arafat's wife who used the event as a loud paranoid screed against the evil zionist water poisoning murdering such and such and our own former first lady, while she looked a little uncomfortable said nothing until the next day when she muttered some kind of vague "We don't agree with everything Ms. Arafat said yesterday......"

And while I know little if anything of Mr. Turner's politics in any specificity - isn't his position here pretty consistant with his other geopolitical views? It doesn't seem like that much of a leap for him.