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Syria-Lebanon
No U.S. visa for Wally
2003-11-20
The US embassy in Beirut has revoked a visa for a Druze leader and member of parliament following his comments about a senior US politician. Walid Jumblatt had expressed regret that US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was unhurt in Baghdad attack last month.
What? A penalty for shooting your mouth off? Unheard of!
Jumblatt confirmed he had received a letter from the US embassy in Beirut cancelling the visa. The letter said the visa had been cancelled in line with a law saying it could not be granted to a foreign dignitary who used his position to support or encourage “terrorism”. Jumblatt told Aljazeera.net that he has no regrets over his comments regarding Wolfowitz, adding he was not surprised by the embassy's action.
We have no regrets over Wally not getting a visa, either...
"But they should also deprive visas for the hundreds of thousands of people in London demonstrating against Bush's visit. They should also consider the mayor of London a terrorist, if they are going to go around terrorising the world with these policies," he said.
Actually, I think that's a good idea. Piss off, Wally. Go to Damascus.
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

#11  I doubt Red Ken would want to come to the US, unless it was to Massachusetts. I'm not even sure Harvard is left enough to put up with his trash mouth. As for the rest of the unemployed/student "protest" class in London, most couldn't afford the airfare, and we don't have enough 'hostels' with cheap enough rates to bring them here. As for Al-Jiz getting a Pulitzer: hey, politics is EVERYTHING tothe Pulitzer committee. Take a long look at their recipients over the last 50 years.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2003-11-21 12:11:25 AM  

#10  JFM: Ahhhh - understood.
Posted by: Secret Master   2003-11-20 4:28:47 PM  

#9  Bomb-a-rama
Just very close to Syria since th1980's.
Posted by: Barry   2003-11-20 3:41:38 PM  

#8  Secret Master:

The Druses aren't Muslims if you ask a mainstream Sunni or Shia (not to mention a Wahabi, but those nuts believe to be the only true Muslims), however if you ask a Druse they are Muslims.

The Lebanese Druses didn't side with Israel, what happens is that the Druse have a policy of loyalty to the country they are living in and for that reason Israeli Druses serve in Israeli army and have given their lives for Israel
Posted by: JFM   2003-11-20 3:04:29 PM  

#7  Jumblatt?! Jeebus, do these people have any concept of onomatopoeia? Say hello to my sister, Gergl Kumspitt.
Posted by: BH   2003-11-20 2:42:47 PM  

#6  I remember things the way Secret Master lays them out as well.
Posted by: ruprecht   2003-11-20 1:32:01 PM  

#5  So for Pete's sake WHAT is this guy's problem?

He's probably senile. :)
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2003-11-20 1:18:04 PM  

#4  Ok, somebody cue me in here.

The Druze, who are not precisely Muslim, are historically targets of racist attacks by Muslims, which is why their religion requires them to build their villages on mountaintops. Am I right so far? During the civil war in Lebanon, Druze forces were generally on the side of Israel.... am I right? So for Pete's sake WHAT is this guy's problem? I thought the Druze were, well, not exactly "good guys" but at least not bad ones. Somebody school me on this.

Posted by: Secret Master   2003-11-20 12:54:30 PM  

#3  Well, I for one wouldn't let "Red Ken" get within 100 yards of a US-bound aircraft. Screw him, let him go elsewhere. (Damascus?) And GG with him.

Double-ditto for the deluded fools protesting in London. Ship 'em off to Istanbul, huh? Let 'em protest there.
Posted by: mojo   2003-11-20 12:27:01 PM  

#2  ""But they should also deprive visas for the hundreds of thousands of people in London demonstrating against Bush's visit. They should also consider the mayor of London a terrorist, if they are going to go around terrorising the world with these policies," he said."
Red Ken encouraged free speech and stupidity, not necessarily terrorism. It says a lot that Al Jazeera can't spot the difference. Its also telling that Al Jazeera equates the hundreds of thousands of people in london with"Foreign dignitary's". Pretty sad reporting, I'm thinking perhaps Al Jazeera isn't gonna get the pulitzer this year.
Posted by: ruprecht   2003-11-20 8:44:57 AM  

#1  I had a buddy of mine who was a USMC scout/sniper and had Wally in his crosshairs in Beirut one day back in 1983. He's always said that if he had one wish, he'd like to be back in that position again. Wally wouldn't be having visa problems if he got his wish, unless you need a visa to get into hell.
Posted by: tu3031   2003-11-20 12:30:56 AM  

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