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Fifth Column

Gore Bashes US In Saudi Arabia

2006-02-13

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.

There is a huge concentration camp for Arabs just outside my home town. Thousands of innocent Arabs imprisoned in ways that would make a Russian barf. Don't tell nobody, 'k?

"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."

Al obviously is angling for a Saooodi pension.

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."

"Unfortunately there have been terrible abuses and it's wrong," Gore said. "I do want you to know that it does not represent the desires or wishes or feelings of the majority of the citizens of my country."

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. "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."

Just wait til Bush has to act, and you'll see Al spin on a dime to condemn whatever Bush does.

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.

Gore refused to be drawn into questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "We can't solve that long conflict in exchanges here," Gore said.

Also at the forum, the vice chairman of Chevron Corp., Peter Robertson, said President Bush's desire to cut U.S. dependence on Mideast oil shows a "misunderstanding" of global energy supply and the critical role of Saudi Arabia. "This notion of being energy independent is completely unreasonable," Robertson said at the economic forum, which opened Saturday.

Also angling for a Saooodi pension?

"I believe Middle Eastern oil can and must play a certain role in the system," Robertson said. "Saudi Arabia's massive resources will continue to promote international energy security and serve as a moderating force in balancing supply and demand."

Cherie Blair, wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, made a plea at the forum for women's rights, telling Saudi leaders that the dearth of women in the work force was "undermining economic potential" of the kingdom. Irish President Mary McAleese urged Saudi Arabia to learn from Ireland's economic transformation, which hinged on opening the country to the outside world and ushering women into the workplace.

And we all know how the Wahabbites treat women as equals.

Posted by:Anonymoose

#18 location, location, location. Including the fact the symposium was paid for by the Bin Laden family consortium (they say they disavow the evil one). Good going Al - Karl sends his love and encouragement: you wuz robbed

Posted by: Frank G 2006-02-13 21:29

#17 Al Bore, Jimmah Cantshutup, Slick "willie" Clinton, Howard Dean, Reid, Kennedy, Kerry, Pelosi, Leahy, Daschle, et. al. - Makes you wonder if somebody forgot to remove the lead pipes in the Democratic Caucus chambers.

Posted by: Old Patriot 2006-02-13 20:53

#16 Al hasn't read this scientific study! No wonder he's been taken over!
http://people.csail.mit.edu/rahimi/helmet/

Posted by: Inspector Clueso 2006-02-13 18:52

#15 I'd say gorebot can kiss my American ass, but I haven't had my shots.

And I know he hasn't had his.

Nurse - time to up his meds again.

Asshole.

Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-02-13 16:14

#14 I don't know Gore's bio, but isn't he an oil man, much more than the letfist mantra "Bush-the-Halliburton-puppet"? Any knowledgeable commentator? Is he knee-deep in oil, kissing the saudis on the mouth?

Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-02-13 15:05

#13 Sure do hope he runs again....

Wonder how Hillary will react to hits from her Left from Al and Kerry?

Posted by: danking_70 2006-02-13 12:57

#12 My gawd, who's side are you on?!
You don't represent me!

Posted by: Jan 2006-02-13 12:52

#11 Hey. Don't go insulting my 4WD Trailblazer!

Posted by: 3dc 2006-02-13 12:02

#10 I'm just happy that after 8 years of Gore as VP and a surging economy we finally kicked our oil habit instead of driving gas guzzling SUVs.

/sarcasm

Posted by: rjschwarz 2006-02-13 11:13

#9 "...often on minor charges of overstaying a visa or not having a green card in proper order..."

Visa Express Bayybeee! Christ all Fridaysall this paperwork its worse then the frikken DMV. Granted all nineteen of the 9/11 hijackers entered legally through ports of entrybut what a hassle. Think about itnone of 18 separate visa applications by 15 of the hijackers was completed properlyits just proves that process is sooo confukkinfusing! Whats a poor Saudi expected to do? And thirteen of the 15, who were from Saudi Arabia or UAE, were never interviewed before being approved for a visa butyou knowwho has the time? And its true that five of the hijackers committed immigration violations prior to the attack butagainthey were just minor charges.

Posted by: DepotGuy 2006-02-13 11:03

#8 "He and the entire leadership of the Democratic Party have become an outright menace to our very survival."

This is a patently absurd statement. What would be even more revealing is to hear the twisted logic that the author of it used to come up with
such a ridiculous conclusion.

Posted by: Common Sense 2006-02-13 10:40

#7 Not my moderateness? Dang...

Posted by: Dave D. 2006-02-13 09:32

#6 Heh, Dave - though I agree 100% with your post - it's your humility (JMHO) that appeals, doncha know, lol. ;-)

Posted by: .com 2006-02-13 09:18

#5 "He's certainly a potential threat to the U.S."

Nothing potential about it, in my opinion. He and the entire leadership of the Democratic Party have become an outright menace to our very survival. If I were to wake up tomorrow morning to news that the entire lot have been rounded up and put in camps-- along with their paid propagandists in the media and their ideological mandarins in the universities-- it wouldn't bother me one damn bit.

These people MUST be stopped, by whatever means is necessary.

JMHO...

Posted by: Dave D. 2006-02-13 09:14

#4 He needs a really long passport check and interview before he re-enters the U.S. Customs needs to check him well too. He's certainly a potential threat to the U.S.

Posted by: Darrell 2006-02-13 09:07

#3 But we could select Fat Albert and Jimmy-wous as America's worst POTUS and VPOTUS team? Maybe we could trade 'em to the Magic Kingdom for a Crown Prince and a mullah to be name later.

Hey...since they are both clowns...maybe we could trade 'em for a cartoon pix of the child molesting prophet?

Posted by: Thaling Tholutle6643 2006-02-13 01:52

#2 More sucking sounds...

Posted by: .com 2006-02-13 00:29

#1 Good ol' Al....still hasn't forgiven the American people for not allowing him to become the worst president of all time. (Damn Jimmah still holds the crown.)

Gore refused to be drawn into questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "We can't solve that long conflict in exchanges here," Gore said.

Translation: I'm still working with some Jews on another speaking engagement. Don't want to blow it here....not like Current TV is exactly taking off, kiddo.

Posted by: Desert Blondie 2006-02-13 00:23

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