Howard Dean on Women's Rights, Elections, Iraq and Israel's Assassination

[Khephra]

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Former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, speaks with Democracy Now! before addressing the crowd at the March For Women's Lives in Washington DC. He says the U.S. should hand over control of Iraq to the United Nations, discusses the presidential election and says he supports Israel's assassination of Hamas leaders.

Howard Dean, former Democratic presidential candidate.

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AMY GOODMAN: Also before the main stage went live, we had a chance to catch up with former democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, Pacifica radio was broadcasting the historic march. Vernon Avery Brown and I questioned him about a number of issues, including the situation in Iraq.

HOWARD DEAN: I think that this president has no -- had no ideas what he was getting into when he did this. I think that if I were president today, I would actually agree -- I would not send more American troops, but I think I would send international troops because I would try to rekindle the relationships that George bush destroyed with our allies. Ultimately, now that we're there and we've done all these things to Iraqis, we ought to try to leave Iraq as close to the democratic society as we possibly can. I do believe it's irresponsible just to pull out the troops. First of all, it's irresponsible from a position of national security because either Al Qaeda, which is there now, although it wasn’t before we were there, Al Qaeda, is a danger. I think a fundamentalist theocracy in Iraq certainly isn't going to do anything for women's rights and I think the right thing to do is try to have a democratic constitution with women's rights protected as much as possible. So, the right thing to do is to turn this over to the United Nations as soon as possible and stop this from being an American occupation, have this be an international reconstruction. And I think John Kerry, as president, will be able to do that. We disagree on sending troops, but American troops, but in the long run again I think the difference between the two will be much less likely to have a headstrong foreign policy based on ideology under president Kerry than we are under President Bush.

more................

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/04/26/1346239#transcript

[Guaranteed]

1. Supports the assassinations, eh?

Wow....

Never thought he'd say something like that. I guess he can't split with Kerry on it, though.

[madfloridian]

2. I was surprised at that.

I was also surprised he got up without answering the last question. I know he said he had to go, but he is usually one to finish an interview.

[Moloch]

30. Have you ever..

Heard a mainstream politician (who isn't an anti-semite like pat buchanan) criticize Israel in any way?

[Bill Todd]

6. But the question that he ducked out on at the end rather than answer

had the implied corollary of asking whether he'd also approve of assassinating Sharon, because he was cut from the same cloth. If you listen to his previous answer, he was saying that no one should be engaging in such behavior - including us ("we shouldn't be doing it" - though the interviewer asked about Sharon at the end rather than Dubya...).

Looking at the tape rather than the transcript, it's clear that this was a difficult interview for Howard. Others have observed that it came just after the unexplained decision not to speak at the rally, and wondered whether he had gotten new marching orders from the campaign that he may have been struggling to deal with at the time. Or not - but for whatever reason he was clearly not at the top of his game, nor very comfortable talking about Kerry's positions right then.

- bill

[madfloridian]

7. Agree, bill. He was not comfortable. The "we" part was odd.

I remember this clearly, when he spoke out for fair treatment for Palestinians. This is a large group to confront, I would say.

September 10, 2003

The Honorable Howard Dean
P.O. Box 1228
Burlington, VT 05402

Dear Governor Dean:

We are writing to respond to your comments on the Middle East at a recent
campaign event and in Tuesday's candidate debate and explain why we believe
it is wrong to say the U.S. should "not take sides" in the
Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

American foreign policy has been - and must continue to be - based on
unequivocal support for Israel's right to exist and to be free from terror.
The Palestinians have at best been ambivalent about their willingness to
accept Israel's existence and from Yasir Arafat on down they have promoted
or acquiesced in the use of terrorism as a tactic in their struggle. It is
unacceptable for the U.S. to be "evenhanded" on these fundamental issues.

All of us want a genuine peace process to succeed, and all of us accept the
legitimacy of a Palestinian state once the Palestinian leadership and people
recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state and not only renounce
the use of violence but at last take action to dismantle the terrorist
infrastructure inside the Palestinian Authority. Time and time again, the
Israeli people have shown their willingness to take risks for peace. But
they will only do so with the knowledge that U.S. support for Israel will
not waver.

It is important for America to help facilitate a peaceful resolution of the
conflict, but in playing this role we must be true to our values and make
sure that all parties clearly understand our policies. This is not a time to
be sending mixed messages; on the contrary, in these difficult times we must
reaffirm our unyielding commitment to Israel's survival and raise our voices
against all forms of terrorism and incitement.

Sincerely,

Howard L. Berman
Nancy Pelosi
Robert Matsui
Steny Hoyer
Martin Frost
Nita Lowey
Tom Lantos
Edward Markey
Chet Edwards
Ben Cardin
Steve Rothman
Steve Israel
Gary Ackerman
Barney Frank
Rahn Emanuel
Adam Smith
Anthony Weiner
Chris Bell
Adam Schiff
Hilda Solis
Robert Menendez
Shelley Berkley
Robert Andrews
Joseph Crowley
Jose Serrano
John Larson
Ellen Tauscher
Dennis Cardoza
Patrick Kennedy
Linda Sanchez
Harold Ford Jr.
Brad Sherman
C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger
Alcee Hastings


http://www.house.gov/berman/letter_new.html

[Jim Sagle]

3. Note how Dean walked off when Amy spewed forth her pro-terrorist BS.

:thumbsup:

[Guaranteed]

4. He did say that nobody should be killing women or children,

though.

I actually agree with that position.

On edit: LOL I guess it's easy to agree with.

[rumguy]

5. It amazes me that he just walked off

[Jim Sagle]

8. Dean RAWWWWWWWWWKSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

[Classical_Liberal]

27. He also says he is against Bush, Sharon, and Kerry on the

settlements. So yes he does rock!

[madfloridian]

9. That got me as well. He just walked away. And Goodman's comment.

QUOTE:..."AMY GOODMAN: And that was Howard Dean getting up from the Pacifica radio table....."

He just does not do things like that.

[Guaranteed]

11. This isn't good for him.

I mean, health-wise.

[Jim Sagle]

12. ?

[madfloridian]

13. I think what we mean is that he is conflicted.

We don't know that for sure, but things happened yesterday. Hard to piece together.

[CharlieBakerAble]

10. I liked Dean's action

I don't know one clear headed person that has a problem eliminating terrorist leaders and the hamas creeps are no exception.

[G_j]

14. what ever happened to

putting accused criminals on trial?
Has civilization now evolved beyond that?

[bloom]

25. I think Israel is practicing 2 eyes for an eye right now.

Which is a far sight better than our 40,000(?) for 0 eyes that we are doing in Iraq.

Bush* would like to have us believe that we are getting revenge for the 3000 WTC people. The juries still out on how much revenge he intends to get for the 4 mercenaries - hundreds at least - thousands would not surprise me.

I would say that US is currently an example of pre-Biblical civilization. It is my understanding that the eye for an eye law was written to prevent the kind of revenge thing that Bush* is doing. So I consider his actions to be pre-civilized.

[rumguy]

15. kick for more info.

[pezcore64]

16. aw

i see theyve finally gotten to him.

darn you DLC.
hehe

[Larkspur]

17. Dean's position on Israel and Palestine has always been a point of

conflict with his supporters. He had said during the campaign that the US must be fair to both sides, which of course got him in trouble with the pro-Likkud-Israel bloc.

Wonder what Dean would have said about Israelis attacking non-violent protestors at one of the new walls being built on Palestinian land. On Sunday a group of 60 women from Palestine and around the world, who were peacefully carrying signs and protesting, were attacked by the IDF with tear gas and batons. Guess anyone who protests Israel's apartheid policies must be a terrorist. :eyes:

[mzmolly]

18. Did you all see this..????????????

"HOWARD DEAN: Here's where I am on Israel. I do support the stance of supporting the assassination of Hamas leaders. They are terrorists and want to kill people and children. I do not support Sharon’s stance on taking over the Palestinian territories. That's a mistake and it is not going to make Israel safer. There are differences that I have with both John Kerry and president Bush on that issue. Again, you have to look at the whole picture. No question that John Kerry will make a much, much better president than George Bush and I have to go. Thank you."

She continued to question him AFTER he said "I have to go" then implies he didn't want to take time to answer a difficult question.

Sounds like she caught him when he was pinched for time. Nice spin though...

[Larkspur]

21. Good catch

.

[mzmolly]

22. Thanks...

:hi:

[madfloridian]

23. He packs a lot into these two sentences, mzmolly....check it out.

"I think people who kill women and children are wrong, whether they’re Arabs, Jews or Americans. We shouldn't be doing it..."

I did not catch these sentences right away, near the end. Pretty powerful.

[mzmolly]

24. Indeed he does. That's my man!!!

;) :hi:

[Khephra]

26. The "we" part is pretty damn important

Now, I don't agree on Dean's view on assassinations, but the fact remains clear -- those who kill innocents should have no mercy (except through the legal system).

[mzmolly]

29. Indeed it is Khephra!

:hi:

[HFishbine]

19. Damn the conventional wisdom

Howard Dean for VP.

[mzmolly]

20. Damn right!

:toast:

Conventional wisdom would never have had him competing for the Nomination in the first place.

[Classical_Liberal]

28. You bet!

.

[DFLforever]

31. I admire Dr Dean but I think he's very wrong on this

as are Kerry and Bush.

State sponsored assassination is criminal and is rightly condemned by moral authorities like the Pope.