 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. congressional Democrats expressed alarm on Tuesday over Iraq's denunciation of Israel in the Middle East conflict, and some said Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's address to Congress should be canceled unless he apologizes.
| Apologizes for what? He never promised to support Israel. |
A group of about 20 House of Representatives Democrats sent a letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert urging the Illinois Republican to secure an apology from Maliki or cancel the address on Wednesday to a joint meeting of Congress. Some said they planned to boycott the speech.
Hastert's spokesman, Ron Bonjean, said there was no intention of canceling Maliki's speech, and he accused Democrats of "political gamesmanship during an election year."
Iraq's U.S.-backed government denounced Israel's raids on Lebanon and Gaza. Maliki last week called for "the world to take quick stands to stop the Israeli aggression."
| Meaning they're Arabs. It's a fact of life that very few Arabs are going to praise Israel for thrashing the Hezbies, even if they're scared of Iran. al-Maliki has his own problems, and saying a few words about the Zionists for domestic consumption is one less headache for him. |
Senate Democrats in a letter to Maliki called his statements "very troubling" and asked for an explanation, but did not demand that his speech be canceled. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said Maliki, in his White House appearance with President George W. Bush, again failed to state his view of Hizbollah, which the United States deems a terrorist organization.
"We have spent hundreds of billions of dollars in Iraq. We've lost more than 2,500 American soldiers, more than 20,000 wounded. We deserve that answer," Reid said.
| He's not going to get one if Maliki is smart. Trashing the Hezbies publicly will inflame a lot of Shi'a at home, and in case Harry Reid hadn't noticed (or doesn't care), things are a little difficult back home. |
House Democrats in their letter to Hastert cited reports that Iraqi leaders were "increasingly influenced" by Iran, and said the "goal of the invasion in Iraq was not to remove one threat in favor of another."
| Maliki isn't a threat, he's a politican who can count noses, as opposed to Saddam who just cut them off. Back home, the noses don't want any kind comments about Israel. Fact of life. |
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California said unless Maliki "disavows his critical comments of Israel and condemns terrorism, it is inappropriate to honor him with a joint meeting of Congress."
| As if Pelosi would give a damn about Israel. Her supporters certainly don't. |
Most Republicans said Democrats were making unrealistic demands, and said Congress should support the struggling leader as Iraq faces mounting sectarian violence. "For him to take a strong stance that's perceived as pro-Israel where he's from is very difficult," Kansas Republican Sen. Sam Brownback said.
Senate Republican Whip Mitch McConnell of Kentucky called the Democrats' statements "an insult to a duly-elected leader."
But ungrateful Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Arlen Specter said he had "serious reservations" about Maliki's speech, and said it was "outrageous to accuse Israel of aggression when Hizbollah has been sitting on their northern border with a knife at Israel's throat for years."
| It isn't Iraq's fight. If Saddam were still in power, he'd be shipping guns 'n' ammo to the Hezbies. Maliki's confined himself to a few comments. I consider that a substantial improvement. |
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