Gore Laments U.S. 'Abuses' Against Arabs

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060213/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_gore&printer=1;_ylt=AjEol.rHazFpggr_uFCPnkMUewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-

Gore Laments U.S. 'Abuses' Against Arabs

By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer 8 minutes ago

Former Vice President Al Gore told a mainly Saudi audience on Sunday that the U.S. government committed "terrible abuses" against Arabs after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and that most Americans did not support such treatment.

Gore said Arabs had been "indiscriminately rounded up" and held in "unforgivable" conditions. The former vice president said the Bush administration was playing into al-Qaida's hands by routinely blocking Saudi visa applications.

"The thoughtless way in which visas are now handled, that is a mistake," Gore said during the Jiddah Economic Forum. "The worst thing we can possibly do is to cut off the channels of friendship and mutual understanding between Saudi Arabia and the United States."

Gore told the largely Saudi audience, many of them educated at U.S. universities, that Arabs in the United States had been "indiscriminately rounded up, often on minor charges of overstaying a visa or not having a green card in proper order, and held in conditions that were just unforgivable."........

[saltpoint]

1. President Gore knows how to address a global audience with

global concerns and considerations.

Not so a certain dimson.

[Zhade]

2. He's right.

Man, I LOVE this new Gore, He gets it. He really, really gets it.

[bloom]

3. The other headline, "Gore: Iran 'danger for world'"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=116&topic_id=12459

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060212/en_afp/irannuclearpoliticsus_060212182612


It's funny - it sounds like the same speech.

[rodeodance]

4. Gore wants more countries in the region to speak out about Iran.

On Iran, Gore complained of "endemic hyper-corruption" among Tehran's religious and political elite and asked Arabs to take a stand against Iran's nuclear program.

Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes but the United States and other Western countries suspect Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

"Is it only for the West to say this is dangerous?" Gore asked. "We should have more people in this region saying this is dangerous."

Several audience members criticized the United States for what they described as "unconditional" U.S. support for Israel, saying U.S. diplomats helped Israel flout U.N. resolutions that they enforced when the measures targeted Arabs.

[bloom]

5. Well I don't think too much of the "let's all pile on Iran" talk n/t

[ninkasi]

10. Wasn't Iran's present leader

elected partly because of a backlash against Bush's illegal invasion of Iraq? Anyway, no matter what should be done, Bush is the wrong one to attempt it, because he'll screw it up the way he's screwed up everything else he's ever touched in his life.

What a mess he's made for the world. I'm so ashamed right now that my country has sunk this low. Who would have thought we would have an America which would start unprovoked wars, spy on it's citizens AFTER the FISA courts were in place, and engage in torture?

Maybe Condi can sympathize...she couldn't imagine people using planes as bombs,or Hamas winning the election, and Bush couldn't imagine the levees breaking. Somehow, I find the things I'm talking about even more unbelievable.

[Ian David]

6. Why did Associated Press put "abuses" in "scare-quotes"? n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. I caught that too

is this perhaps an editorial comment that the US never abuses anyone, never picks up and holds people for long periods of time without benefit of counsel, etc?

[Wordie]

8. K&R

[RamboLiberal]

9. I'd have to hear more about how * Admin is now handling

visas from Saudi Arabia that Gore now disagrees with, but I hope Gore is not talking about the same kind of "open door" that the Bushies had in place prior to 9/11 wherein Saudis had almost open access to come to U.S.

I remember most of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis. I don't mind Saudis coming to U.S., but I want them very carefully vetted. So on just this one issue I may have a disagreement with Gore, but he's right about the rest.

[fujiyama]

12. Yeah I hope

that Gore would not be in favor of going back to the old policy. It was a mess.

I still hold quite a bit of distrust of the Saudis. Their Wahhabiism is IMO a bigger threat than a nuclear Iran. It's almost a form of Saudi ideaological imperialism.

As much as I like Gore, there are times when, for those reasons I might prefer someone that has not run or been in a previous administration. A fresh start to the way we conduct diplomacy, not only from this administration, which has been nothing but a show of bullying and an unmitigated disaster, but from previous administrations as well, might be in our nations' best interest.

But I will say, I am especially in admiration of Gore's recent statements on civil liberties. Whomever it is, I hope the eventual '08 nominee will make an issue of the erosion of our liberties over the last several years.

[wordpix]

14. Saudis have a problem with radical Islamists, just as we do--many Saudis

abhor them. Yes, the 911 bombers were from Saudi A. and Egypt but that doesn't mean the population in those countries support radical fringe groups. My 16 y.o. Saudi student goes as far as to say the 911 bombers and radicals "are not Muslims because Muslims don't believe in killing like that."

[AlGore-08.com]

23. He's talking both about racial profiling & blocking visas to all Saudis

A little more context from the Seattle PI:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107AP_Saudi_Gore.html

Gore decries treatment of Arabs post 9-11

JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia -- Former Vice President Al Gore told a mainly Saudi audience on Sunday that the U.S. government committed "terrible abuses" against Arabs after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and that most Americans did not support such treatment.

Gore said Arabs had been "indiscriminately rounded up" and held in "unforgivable" conditions. The former vice president said the Bush administration was playing into al-Qaida's hands by routinely blocking Saudi visa applications.

"The thoughtless way in which visas are now handled, that is a mistake," Gore said during the Jiddah Economic Forum. "The worst thing we can possibly do is to cut off the channels of friendship and mutual understanding between Saudi Arabia and the United States."

Gore told the largely Saudi audience, many of them educated at U.S. universities, that Arabs in the United States had been "indiscriminately rounded up, often on minor charges of overstaying a visa or not having a green card in proper order, and held in conditions that were just unforgivable."

(more... )

[Andromeda]

11. There have been abuses on innocent...

Arabs but with this administration I don't expect fairness. They really should have seen it coming and prepared for it instead of ignoring the problem as if it would just go away.

[Uncle Joe]

13. I believe this also Al's way of

trying to defuse or at least ameliorate the explosive tension in the Middle East following the cartoon riots.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2103616&mesg_id=2103616

[mzmolly]

16. And, he's a great person to represent Americans.

I am so thankful for him.

[Uncle Joe]

17. I agree mzmolly, he is the best. n/t

[mzmolly]

15. I'm so glad he's speaking about these things. I can't help but wonder ...

if he's positioning himself for a run?

[NightOwwl]

18. I hope he is considering a run 2008...

Please Al, we need you!

[mzmolly]

20. Oh boy so do I!

I seems he's been visible on so many issues, and his daughter has made some recent appearances as well.

[Pirate Smile]

19. I hope so. My "Independent " Dad who hasn't voted for a Democrat

since LBJ said he could see himself voting for Gore in '08. That was a bit of a surprise but good news.

[mzmolly]

21. That's encouraging.

I hope so too! :hi:

[andino]

22. I need a link to the transcript

if anyone can help... TIA!!!