Israeli killing of Rantisi draws world condemnation

[54anickel]

Did Kerry "misspeak"?

http://english.eastday.com/epublish/gb/paper1/1243/class000100003/hwz191285.htm

The international community on Saturday condemned Israel's assassination of Abdel Aziz Rantisi, leader of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

Rantisi died Saturday evening of his wounds after Israel blew up his car in Gaza City. The assassination came less than one month following the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Hamas founder and spiritual leader, in a similar air attack on March 22.

Javier Solana, foreign policy chief of the European Union (EU), indicated that the killing was unlawful and "not conducive to lowering tension."

"The European Union has consistently condemned extrajudicial killings. Today's action will not facilitate a positive outcome of this (Middle East peace) process," Solana said in a statement issued during talks between EU and Asian foreign ministers in Ireland.

[David Dunham]

1. Kerry needs Jewish support and votes or he loses to Bush.

[54anickel]

3. I dunno, I think that's a cop out. He's no better than Shrub if he is

going to cater to special interests for votes. Especially with so much at stake. This simply elevates the tensions in the ME, and puts our troops in even greater danger and stress than they are already experiencing.

Looks like the Sharon will now continue these assasinations, and Kerry pretty much justified his stance.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials hailed the killing of Rantisi and insisted that Israel would continue to kill other Hamas leaders.

"Israel will do with the rest of the heads of terrorist organizations," said Ra'anan Gissin, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's spokesman.

"The Palestinian (National) Authority must take this signal very seriously," he added.

He said there would be no peace and no Palestinian state before the cessation of violence and terrorist attacks.

[CabalBuster]

2. Kerry needs the Muslim American vote or he loses Florida & Michigan

and as a Muslim ain't voting for Kerry. His words will resound to Muslims in the US who were willing to giving the benefit of the doubt. He just opened his mouth and removed all doubt. He, like Bush, are owned by the PNAC.

[JohnLocke]

5. "Anyone But Skull and Bones," huh?

:eyes: ...

[CabalBuster]

9. Yep.

[CabalBuster]

4. Someone better tells Kerry that he just pissed the U.S. Muslims voters

who will now see Kerry as an enemy of the Palestinian people and will vote Nader. Even if Nader doesn't pull more than 1-2% of the vote, it's not how he does nationally, it's how he does in certain key states. And he could take significant portions of the Arab-American vote in the key battlegrounds of Ohio, Michigan, Pa and Fla.

See this recent Zogby poll that says Nader gets 20% of the Arab American vote in four key states (and if you read the details (pdf), it's 26% in Pa and Mich. More of the votes come from Kerry than Bush, which could end up tipping a close state. http://www.zogby.com/Soundbites/ReadClips.dbm?ID=7858

[Muddleoftheroad]

6. So Kerry should have said killing terrorists is wrong?

Not.

[CabalBuster]

10. Why the extremes, what about saying that the violence from both sides

must stop for a change. Sharon is a terrorist/war criminal and I guess many Jews in the U.S. will upset if he was killed. I am getting tired of Israeli apologists in the democratic party.

[wildmanj]

7. extra judicial killings

do they work only when applied by israel or one day will the chickens come home to roost when bombs fall on israel and american----god there has to be a more sane way----this is insanity--- i was hoping to vote for kerry but if he is going to be another bush why bother

[loathesomeshrub]

8. Pissed me off bigtime

There I was listening to Kerry on Meet the Press, feeling quite pleased with what he was saying and how he came across, until Russert asked him about the assassination, and Kerry said just about the same thing the village idiot did. He plummetted in my esteem to almost the level of Bush immediately. I would love to have another choice, but it is way more important to beat Bush than to vote idealistically. He gets my vote one time. In 4 years, I might vote for the Repub running against him; its highly possible, depending on who it is. I would give anything to be able to vote for Bill Clinton again!

[CabalBuster]

11. If Kerry loses those key states, he will regret his words on MTP today

[CabalBuster]

12. The fact that Kerry stands alone against the world (like Shrub) should

give him a hint. Just like the Iraq war the world opposed. Perhaps he should tell his handlers that this time he's not sure this is the correct stance.

[Moderator]

13. Story posted last night, please discuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=493843