Archive for the ‘Middle East’ Category

Sen. Hatch on the Democrats and war funding, reports of U.S.-supported militia attacks on Iran

Wednesday, March 28th, 2007



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On March 25 Sam Husseini spoke with Senator Orrin Hatch outside of CNN’s Washington studios. Hatch claimed that Saddam kicked out the UN weapons inspectors, contradicting the public record that the inspectors were withdrawn. Hatch also claimed that Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the IAEA, told him that the inspectors could not get any further than they did, although ElBaradei is also on the public record as having asked for more time and attesting to working inspections.

Continue reading for a transcript of the exchange.

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Iraqi Ambassador questioned on Iraqi opinion, U.S. support of Kurdish militias attacking Iran, oil law, and U.S. bases

Wednesday, March 28th, 2007


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Samir Al Sumadaie, the Iraqi Ambassador to the United States, was questioned outside the studios of CNN in Washington, D.C. on March 25.Continue reading for a transcript of the exchange. (more…)

Sen. Hagel: On news of US-supported attacks on Iran, war funding and his war support

Wednesday, March 28th, 2007



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Senator Hagel was questioned about recent reports of Kurdish militias receiving U.S. support and operating out of Iraq to launch attacks into Iran. The Senator said he had no knowledge of these reports. Sam Husseini also questioned Hagel about his vote to give the President the authorization to use force and the lead-up to the Iraq war. When Husseini pressed that some public information existed at the time that could cause one to doubt the President’s claims before the war, Hagel insisted that “the entire intelligence community of this government, all 16 agencies,” and our allies were all convinced of the existence of weapons of mass destruction, although Hagel also admitted regretting his vote.

Continue reading for a transcript of the exchange.

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Feinstein on cluster bombs, demurring on Iraqi oil law

Monday, March 19th, 2007


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After her March 18 appearance on CBS’s Face The Nation, Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA), spoke with the press gaggle outside the studio. Sam Husseini, with The Washington Stakeout, asked her about stalled cluster bomb legislation she has proposed and then about the Iraqi oil law that the Bush administration has backed — she did not answer the latter question as she was being called away by an aide and said nothing again when asked as to why she couldn’t or wouldn’t comment on it.

Also outside the studios, activists with the group Code Pink gathered in opposition to funding of the war. They chanted under the banner of “Don’t buy Bush’s war.”

Continue reading for a transcript of the exchange.

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Cornyn on Possible Iran Attack and Filibuster

Monday, March 19th, 2007



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On Sunday, March 18, Sam Husseini spoke with Senatory John Cornyn (R-TX), outside of the studios of ABC News. Cornyn, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee among his other assignments, expressed the opinion that Iran represents “a very real threat” but that he did not anticipate the US to attack Iran unless something “no one of us expects happens.” On whether Bush should seek another authorization of force, Cornyn said “I think that would be the proper order of things.” When later asked about Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons in the region and how that might play into the dynamic that may fuel Iran alleged pursuit of the same, Cornyn refused to acknowledge Israel’s weapons and stated that “no comparison” could be drawn between Israel and Iran in part because Israel is a US ally.

Sam Husseini also inquired about the Republicans threat of a filibuster on legislation regulating the funding of the Iraq war in contrast to the Republicans decrying the possibility of Democrats filibustering Bush administration nominees. The Senator said he saw a difference between filibustering legislation and, as he saw it, unconstitutionally hindering a President’s nominations.

Appended is a transcript of the exchange.

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