Democrats: Can They Be Trusted?

[Brandon Rhea]

<div align="center">

HEZBOLLAH. UH, HEZBOLLAH....</div>

First of all, forgive the Topic Title. I know it's a huge generalization, but I needed something to catch your attention and I figured the word "Democrat" would. I heard about this the other day in the paper, saw it on CNN, FOX, etc. It's the first of many mistakes that Nancy Pelosi, and the Democratic Party, that the Democrats are sure to make. I'm still betting that they won't be able to pass the record set by Republicans in terms of number of mistakes, though.

Anyway, I figured I'd make a debate about it, but I lost the link. Here's the web article anyway.

Law enforcement and intelligence experts are scratching their heads in disbelief upon discovering that the next House Intelligence Committee Chairman doesn't possess even a basic understanding of terrorism or terrorist groups. In fact, he's never heard of Hezbollah.

Representative Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), who was Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi's second choice to head the sensitive and vital committee, did not know what Hezbollah was and incorrectly described Al-Qaeda as being Shiite rather than Sunni.

Rep. Reyes appeared disoriented when a reporter asked him basic questions about the Islamic groups that are the principal targets of America's intelligence agencies, including Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah and others.

"Al-Qa'eda is what – Sunni or Shia?" Jeff Stein, the Congressional Quarterly magazine's national security editor, asked Mr Reyes. "Al-Qaeda, they have both," replied Reyes.

"You're talking about predominately?"Predominantly – probably Shiite," said the puzzled Democrat from Texas.

As Mr. Stein noted in his CQ column, "He couldn't have been more wrong. Al-Qaeda is profoundly Sunni. If a Shiite showed up at an Al-Qaeda club house, they'd slice off his head and use it for a soccer ball."

He also asked Reyes about the terrorist group Hezbollah. "Hezbollah. Uh, Hezbollah..." he said, laughing. "Why do you ask me these questions at five o'clock? Can I answer in Spanish? Do you speak Spanish?"

"This is no laughing matter. Where was this man when Israel and Hezbollah battled for almost two weeks?" asked a former intelligence officer and now New York City detective.

"We went from an impeached judge to a man ignorant of the basic facts regarding terrorist groups. What kind of oversight will that be?" he added.

The holes in Reyes' knowledge are a fresh embarrassment to Nancy Pelosi, the incoming Speaker of the House of Representatives, whose leadership was undermined when her first choice for House Majority Leader was rejected and her choice for intelligence chairman was likewise rejected.

She selected Rep. Reyes to chair the House intelligence committee over the head of Jane Harman (D-CA), who is widely respected as having vast experience in the area of intelligence gathering and analysis especially in the Middle East. Pelosi and the left-wing of the Democrat Party bear a grudge against Miss Harman due to her politically moderate image.

"What are we being left with in congress? A chairman of the House Judiciary Committee who hates cops and panders to America's enemies? A Senate Judiciary Committee chairman with a history of leaking classified information? A hard-left senator heading the Senate Intelligence Committee? And now a House Intelligence Committee chairman who doesn't know what Hezbollah is?," asked a police terrorism expert.

"Sounds like amateur hour to me," he said.

While Reyes was preferred over Rep. Alcee Hastings -- who was removed from the federal bench after facing bribery charges -- for the intel post, most Americans aren't being told by the Democrats and their media echo chamber that Hastings remains a ranking member of the House Sub-Committee on Homeland Security.

When counterterrorism mavin Richard Clark was hawking his book and testifying before the 9/11 Commission, he took time out to appear on CBS' 60 Minutes. Clark alleged that then-National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice didn't know what A-Qaeda was (which was an obvious lie). The news media jumped on Clark's accusation and repeated it ad nauseum.

But now a Democrat in an equally sensitive position has been exposed as ignorant of facts regarding terrorist groups, and it looks as if he'll be getting the standard "pass" by those "unbiased" ladies and gentlemen of the press.[/b]

I feel safer already.....

 

[Kalin Morne]

We really need a Left Wing party.

 

[Ser Yorick]

I'm tired of American politics, can we debate something else?

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Send me a debate suggestion with the guidelines to do so and I'll post it. If no one takes the initiative to do so, I'll post what I want.

And, if you're tired of it, don't post in the thread.

 

[Ser Yorick]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Brandon Rhea @ Dec 16 2006, 12:07 AM) [snapback]137033[/snapback]</div>

I'll post what I want.[/b]

*Gasp* Can you do that?

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

This is what the American people wanted though. They were the ones voting for radical change on a party that has no stance other than being Anti-Bush. It's time to reap the consequences.

 

[Matt]

Meh.

There both as stupid as eachother, if I had to choose I would much rather have the democrats then the republicans

 

[Brandon Rhea]

It's a lose-lose situation. The Democrats are the party of no ideas while the Republicans are the party of bad ideas.

 

[Emma Lou]

im def. republican and if I could have voted this last election I would have voted so, but either way im not looking forward to be living in the United States in the next years at all.

 

[Epic]

Democrats...Pheh!

 

[Maxx Pryde]

I'm just glad I don't live in the states. BUt if I was, I'd probably have to go republican. They may have bad ideas, but at least they got ideas.

 

[Epic]

Exactly.

 

[Ser Yorick]

I'd vote for Jon Stewart.

 

[Adamis]

I got one thing to say: Don't know, Don't care.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Capt. Renlar Tyrin @ Dec 16 2006, 10:13 AM) [snapback]137099[/snapback]</div>

Democrats...Pheh![/b]

How insightful.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Adamis / Kal'daka Kyorl @ Dec 16 2006, 07:22 PM) [snapback]137174[/snapback]</div>

I got one thing to say: Don't know, Don't care.
[/b]

You'd fit in well with the vast majority of the United States.

 

[Tdizme]

But I know I felt safe whenever I listened to George Bush speak. All this terrorist agenda is just government propaghanda to keep people scared. The terror alert always goes up around electiont time. Its almost as if al queda cared about who is in office in America. I imagine they do not. I agree that it is ridiculous that Reyes has know idea about these groups, but do you think there may be some more important issues that could be discussed for our country. No, there isn't. Becuase everyone is afraid. Well, suck it up and stop crying, becuase it is the Republican agenda that continues to bring up stuff like this. Brandon look at the big picture, and stop trying to make people lose anymore faith in their government than they already have.


I look forward to your long and angry reply, or better yet your short scoffing dismisal.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

"Can They Be Trusted" was the name of the article and the "I feel safer already" was a joke, hence the "....". I generally don't do that when I'm serious. This is one person that I feel shouldn't be in the office that they are in, so I really don't see why you think I'm trying to make people lose faith in their government. I apologize if that is the way it came across.

I look forward to your long and angry reply, or better yet your short scoffing dismisal.

That has no place in the Debate Room. Please take the time to read the rules about proper respect to your fellow members.

P.S.
For the record, since you probably aren't aware of this as of yet, I am not Pro-George W. Bush or the Bush Administration for that matter. I am a Republican, yes, but a very, very, very moderate one.

 

[Ser Yorick]

I don't have any true faith in really, any government. I have too much of a cynical perspective on things, and see too much bad in even neutral pictures.

 

[Raider]

I wish we had more than two major parties in the US. The Republicans have misled us in Iraq and the Democrats don't seem have made up their minds in which road to travel. Also judging by the Democrats' experience and knowledge (or rather lack of) I doubt they will be able to handle the War on Terror any better than the Republicans.

 

[Matt]

God knows how badly it would be handled then.

My view, democrats would bring something fresh to america, to be honest to every american here, the rest of the world is freaking pissed off with the arrogent attitude the government seems to. I believe the democrats could do a much better job of representing america