Dana Rohrabacher wants you to feel good about torture
Speaking to the European Parliament’s committee on Human rights Representative who were invited guests and witnesses in the House Foreign Affairs European subcommittee hearing On April 17, Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) said in defense of the Bush Administration's program of extraordinary rendition, "I hope it’s your families that suffer the consequences."
The European Parliamentary human rights committee had issued a report in January, 2007 sharply critical of the Bush administration’s extraordinary rendition program in which persons from all over the world were detained by either CIA or local police and then flown by CIA jet (torture taxi) to other countries where they were imprisoned (Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Libya, Djibouti, Morocco, Yemen. The report was equally critical of European governments for allowing the unlawful flights to take place.
From 2001 through 2005, the governments of fourteen countries in Europe allowed at least 1,245 CIA flights with illegally abducted terrorist suspects to be flown through their airspace or to land on their territory. Germany, Britain, Ireland and Portugal allowed the highest numbers of covert flights. As well as at least 1,245 flights operated by the CIA, there were an unspecified number of US military flights for the same purpose. AfterDowningStreet.org
From 2001 through 2005, the governments of fourteen countries in Europe allowed at least 1,245 CIA flights with illegally abducted terrorist suspects to be flown through their airspace or to land on their territory. Germany, Britain, Ireland and Portugal allowed the highest numbers of covert flights. As well as at least 1,245 flights operated by the CIA, there were an unspecified number of US military flights for the same purpose. AfterDowningStreet.org
What did Rohrabacher say exactly? Maybe he was just taken out of context. So often the factinistas in the left-wing mainstream media just twist and distort the actual meaning of what our fine politicians are saying. Let's see exactly what he said...
On April 17, 2007, while defending the Bush Administration's program of extraordinary rendition during a House hearing on transatlantic relations, Rohrabacher said:
(Rohrabacher was subsequently interupted by protesters wearing orange jumpsuits who were removed from the gallery.)
"After 9/11 we established different operations because we needed to do it, because we knew at that time there were people who were willing to kill tens of thousands of other human being because they hate our way of life. Now, were only talking about ... the question at hand, we've looked at your report ... were talking about a miniscule number of people here as compared to the number of people who are being protected. And does that mean ... and of the miniscule number of people, a hundred, two hundred people who are being held in this way, how many of those have been mistreated? How many of those have actually suffered the type of unfair treatment because they themselves really aren't members of Al Qaida and they were just ... their name was mistaken?
For example, I know in one or two cases you have a man whose name was exactly the same name as a Muslim that was involved in Al Qaida. To the degree there are a few of those cases, we should do our best to make sure those cases don't exist, try to find a system to root them out. But, here's the other shoe dropping, we are at war and we've got to make sure that we do not let go fifty terrorists who will go out and plant a bomb in London and kill twenty-thousand people in order to protect that one person who we arrested accidently because his name was the same.
That's the type of unfortunate consequence ... (talking, boos from the gallery) Well I hope it's your families, I hope it's your families that suffer the consequences. (Shouts) Mr. Chairman I will be very happy to talk to everybody afterwords if you'd like to talk to me, but in terms of the hearing I'd like to make my points without having it animated. One person, if we let ... if in order to protect the rights of one or two people or five people or ten people, who are mistakenly abducted, because their names were the same or because they went to a mosque that they didn't know .. or this thing was going on in the back room. If we ... if ten of those people suffer those consequences ... but in order for us to take 90 other people off the street who are intent on involved in plans that would slaughter tens of thousands of our citizens, I'm afraid that's the price we pay in a real world. And the United States ... we're not ... we are not ghouls ... we are not ... we don't ... we're not ... we don't want to torture somebody because he has a bad name. We want to get information from somebody that we think might want to kill our children and kill your children. (talking) And if you doubt our motives, you're welcome to. I know there's a lot of people hate America. But when the pressure's on, for ... quite frankly we have known all along that at times America has to go it alone and people will try to find fault with us rather than trying to at least understand our morality."
For example, I know in one or two cases you have a man whose name was exactly the same name as a Muslim that was involved in Al Qaida. To the degree there are a few of those cases, we should do our best to make sure those cases don't exist, try to find a system to root them out. But, here's the other shoe dropping, we are at war and we've got to make sure that we do not let go fifty terrorists who will go out and plant a bomb in London and kill twenty-thousand people in order to protect that one person who we arrested accidently because his name was the same.
That's the type of unfortunate consequence ... (talking, boos from the gallery) Well I hope it's your families, I hope it's your families that suffer the consequences. (Shouts) Mr. Chairman I will be very happy to talk to everybody afterwords if you'd like to talk to me, but in terms of the hearing I'd like to make my points without having it animated. One person, if we let ... if in order to protect the rights of one or two people or five people or ten people, who are mistakenly abducted, because their names were the same or because they went to a mosque that they didn't know .. or this thing was going on in the back room. If we ... if ten of those people suffer those consequences ... but in order for us to take 90 other people off the street who are intent on involved in plans that would slaughter tens of thousands of our citizens, I'm afraid that's the price we pay in a real world. And the United States ... we're not ... we are not ghouls ... we are not ... we don't ... we're not ... we don't want to torture somebody because he has a bad name. We want to get information from somebody that we think might want to kill our children and kill your children. (talking) And if you doubt our motives, you're welcome to. I know there's a lot of people hate America. But when the pressure's on, for ... quite frankly we have known all along that at times America has to go it alone and people will try to find fault with us rather than trying to at least understand our morality."
(Rohrabacher was subsequently interupted by protesters wearing orange jumpsuits who were removed from the gallery.)
Rohrabacher has been getting his share of noteriety:
On April 17, 2007, during a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing, Rohrabacher vigorously defended the US's policy of extraordinary rendition, noting "Imprisoning and torturing one innocent person was a fair price to pay for locking up 50 terrorists who would 'go out and plant a bomb...and kill 20,000 people.'" For this comment, he was named Countdown with Keith Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World" on April 25. Wikipedia
You are probably asking yourself, "Who is this guy? Gosh, he sounds familiar!" That's right, this is the same Dana Rohrabacher that proposed hearings to find out the real truth about an alleged Middle Eastern accomplice to killer Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombing. According to Rohrabacher and author Jayna Davis, "McVeigh and Terry Nichols were not the lone conspirators but were part of a greater scheme involving Islamic terrorists and at least one provable link to Iraq." World Net Daily
It is perhaps not surprising that Rohrabacher, considering his aliegences, does not believe in global warming. During a congressional hearing on climate change on February 8, 2007, Rohrabacher theorized that previous warming cycles may have been caused by carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by "dinosaur flatulence." Wikipedia
Rohrabacher is also close friends with Jack Abramoff:
It is perhaps not surprising that Rohrabacher, considering his aliegences, does not believe in global warming. During a congressional hearing on climate change on February 8, 2007, Rohrabacher theorized that previous warming cycles may have been caused by carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by "dinosaur flatulence." Wikipedia
Rohrabacher is also close friends with Jack Abramoff:
In 1999 Rohrabacher went on an Abramoff-funded trip to the Marshall Islands. [...]
In 2000, Abramoff listed Rohrabacher as one of the his references on his loan application for the purchase of SunCruz Casinos. "I don't remember it, but I would certainly have been happy to give him a good recommendation," Rohrabacher said in April 2005, when news reports first arose. "He's a very honest man." [...]
In December 2005, Rohrabacher again defended Abramoff, telling the Washington Post: "I think he's been dealt a bad hand and the worst, rawest deal I've ever seen in my life. Words like bribery are being used to describe things that happened every day in Washington and are not bribes." Wikipedia
In 2000, Abramoff listed Rohrabacher as one of the his references on his loan application for the purchase of SunCruz Casinos. "I don't remember it, but I would certainly have been happy to give him a good recommendation," Rohrabacher said in April 2005, when news reports first arose. "He's a very honest man." [...]
In December 2005, Rohrabacher again defended Abramoff, telling the Washington Post: "I think he's been dealt a bad hand and the worst, rawest deal I've ever seen in my life. Words like bribery are being used to describe things that happened every day in Washington and are not bribes." Wikipedia
Rohrabacher even has ties to that evil left wing empire known as Hollywood:
On November 4, 2005, The Los Angeles Times reported that Rohrabacher "used his influence to open doors in Washington for a Hollywood producer pitching a television show after the producer paid him a $23,000 option on a nearly 30 year old screenplay." The producer, Joseph Medawar, has since been indicted on fraud charges by the FBI and has pled not guilty.[...]
In May 2006, Rohrabacher, through his press secretary, announced that he will return the $23,000. The decision was made public shortly before Medawar took responsibility in a United States District Court for bilking about $3.4 million from about 50 investors. Wikipedia
In May 2006, Rohrabacher, through his press secretary, announced that he will return the $23,000. The decision was made public shortly before Medawar took responsibility in a United States District Court for bilking about $3.4 million from about 50 investors. Wikipedia
3 Comments:
Holy crap, no wonder we are in such trouble with guys like this in office.
I forgot about the Dino Farts. That was when I found this nutjob.
His is a rare beauty and intelligence.
Regards,
Tengrain
Tengrain and Monkerstein: Yes, he is certainly not the best and brightest that the Republicans have to offer. But then again, who is? The pickings are pretty slim.
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