[Arab News] Republicans attacked President Barack Obama on Sunday for his comments on a controversial plan to build a mosque in New York, saying he was "disconnected" from the nation in an election year.The pious statement that everybody enjoys the same religious freedom doesn't address with wisdom or the good taste of building a mosque near the site of Islamic aggression against Americans.
Obama waded into the debate on Friday when he appeared to offer his backing for the mosque to be built two blocks from the "Ground Zero" site of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York City. On Saturday, seeking to clarify his position, Obama said he supported the right of Muslims to build the center but would not comment on the "wisdom" of deciding its location in Lower Manhattan.
This is a position known in political circles as "wishy washy."
Prominent Republicans have opposed the proposed site of the center, saying it was insensitive and reopened the wounds of the attacks.
If the U.S. was an Islamic country we'd be rioting in the streets and holding up signs saying to "Behead those who insult 9-11."
On Sunday, several criticized Obama for what they said was his support of the center's construction and subsequent waffling on the issue. "This is not about freedom of religion because we all respect the right of anyone to worship according to the dictates of their conscience ... but I do think it's unwise to build a mosque at the site where 3,000 Americans lost their lives as the result of a terrorist attack," Texas Republican John Cornyn said on the "Fox News Sunday" program. "To me it demonstrates that Washington, the White House, the administration, the President himself seems to be disconnected from the mainstream of America," Cornyn said.
Peter King, a Republican congressman from New York who opposes the location of the mosque, told CNN's "State of the Union" program that Obama clearly gave the impression he supported its construction but then backed off the next day. "If the President was going to get into this, he should have been much more clear, much more precise and he can't be changing his decision from day to day on an issue which does go to our Constitution..."
Obama's remarks put him in the middle of a heated political debate months before November elections, which are expected to result in big losses for Obama's Democrats and a potential power shift in Congress in favor of Republicans.