Anthony Weiner calls Turkey our "former ally"

[Jefferson23]

SNIP* Weiner ends with, to answer my original question, “I would call them, at least today, a former ally until they start acting like they are an ally.”


Thursday, Jun 3, 2010 15:45

By Alex Pareene



New York Rep. Anthony Weiner's stand with Israel no matter the facts tour continues! At a Manhattan press conference yesterday, Weiner took a break from being a reliable liberal to answer a question about Israel by calling the nation of Turkey our "former ally."

Now, as far as I know, the United States does still consider Turkey an important strategic ally. But Anthony Weiner knows the best way to deal with sensitive diplomatic issues like this is to become a belligerent blowhard.

Weiner elaborated to the National Review's Greg Pollowitz:


Look, we sometimes in our U.S. foreign policy, we sometimes have what we hope will be in front of what we see clearly happening. And we are constantly on the lookout for the moderate Arab state that is going to be the one that’s going to be the linchpin of our policy there. And we sometimes don’t just look at how they’re behaving. Turkey has not act -- this was clearly instigated by Turkey.



remainder: http://www.salon.com/news/israel_flotilla_attack/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/06/03/weiner_turkey_ally

[PDJane]

1. Weiner is great until it comes to Israel.........

and there he has a huge blind spot.

[Jefferson23]

4. I think Weiner has surpassed blind spot.

"I guess that “hope and change” in foreign policy isn’t going over so well.

Weiner ends with, to answer my original question, “I would call them, at least today, a former ally until they start acting like they are an ally.”

One, negative, however. As much as I approve of Weiner’s defense of Israel, was this necessary? From the Daily News write-up (and in the audio above):

“Here’s what Israel chose to do, what frankly they do a lot of time in military engagements, they chose to put their own men and women at risk, not something flying over with a drone high above, put men and women at risk to try to do this as peacefully possible.”


Weiner should be ashamed of himself.

[aquart]

8. I love a man who doesn't cave to mass hysteria.

[proteus_lives]

11. +20

[Jefferson23]

14. Then why do you like Weiner? n/t

[marmar]

15. Then that doesn't explain your love for Weiner.

[MidwestTransplant]

2. Turkey is definitely not an "Arab" state.

[aquart]

9. Nope. Genocidal Turkey is not Semitic.

Lovely fellows. Handsome men. Impressive prisons. Does no one but me appreciate the irony of Turkey coming out for the Palestinians (why not, they'll never get stuck with them next door) while playing the part of Israel to the Kurds?

Well, I think it's funny.

[FarrenH]

10. Because everyone knows the millions of Turkish Kurds

live under occupation or siege, without political representation in the government of the occupying power. Or Not.

In fact the status of the Kurds in Turkey is akin to that of the Basques in Spain, Tibetans in China and to a lesser extent Hispanics in Arizona. They enjoy the same nominal political rights as other Turks but are effectively discriminated against by assimilationist policies. For which Turkey is rightly criticised. But Apartheid, it aint. They are not denied representation, they are not denied right of return, and they have not been forced off land in recent times with the express purpose of settling ethnic Turks on the land they once occupied.

But hey, any old loose parallel will do when your reflex is to throw around Tu Quoque fallacies whenever your favourite Apartheid state is criticised.

[Jefferson23]

17. Stuck with them?

Impressive prisons like ours and Israel's you must have meant to say. We have done a bang up job within our penal system, and our torture
techniques have brought world wide attention too! Yippy for the US of A, where we charge children as adults because it makes us feel more punitive that way and on and on. The shame to bear should give anyone who has read about our system pause not be so quick to feel superior.



There won't be anything funny about Israel losing an ally in the ME.

[rpannier]

3. Stupid answer by the Congressman

He needs to be called out on it

I don't know how many people have been arrested for spying on the US for Turkey, but I'm guessing it's less than the number of people spying for Israel.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Ummm... anybody know from NY 9 which runs from Hillcrest to...

Gerritson beach via Forest Hills and parts of Howard Beach? Ya know the demographics of that place?

Maybe he doth protest too much, but anyone from that district would have to have a death wish to beat up on Israel.

[Sebastian Doyle]

6. I would submit the following question to Congressman Weiner.

Turkey is a member of NATO. The ships attacked by Israel were flying a Turkish flag. Surely, Congressman you are aware that an attack on any member of NATO is considered an attack on all.

So wouldn't that make Israel the "former ally" because they were the attacker?

[Ozymanithrax]

7. Under the bus already.

Hey, I still like the guy.

[Scuba]

12. Weiner beating up on Glen Beck earned some points with me....

...but if he's looking for moderates in the middle east, he won't find them in Israel's leadership.

[MattSh]

13. Stupid...

So they are not in lockstep with us 100%. So now, they are not an ally?

By that definition, we probably only have 2 or 3 of them.

[Scuba]

16. 2 or 3 ?? Who? That would leave us zero.

[Mr. Sparkle]

18. Someone should tell him he is an American Representative and not Israel's.

If he want to represent Israel, he should move!