The Lebanese Sectarian War Criminal, Walid Jumblat, Tours Washington, DC: "...But at a visit yesterday with The Washington Post's editorial board, Jumblatt, when confronted with the column, said he apologizes to the American people. Presumably this includes the racist pop at Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that, for reasons of impeccable good taste, we didn't print?
A Title Not Likely to Be Seen Again
Sometimes the early transcript can get jumbled. Take the State Department's daily briefing Monday by spokesman Tom Casey .
"CASEY: I've got a fairly brief readout for you. It is true -- this morning, the secretary met with Lebanese Jewish leader Walid Jumblatt, and they discussed general developments in Lebanon.""
Now, Jumblat, wants people to forget his past statements: (And US officials seem to have forgiven him--how kind they are)
"In early 2004, he noted: "We are all happy when U.S. soldiers are killed [in Iraq] week in and week out. The killing of U.S. soldiers in Iraq is legitimate and obligatory." He said he felt "great joy" at the 2002 space shuttle disaster because an Israeli astronaut died in it. He has also said that the real axis of evil is one of "oil and Jews," and called President Bush a "mad emperor.""The oil axis is present in most of the U.S. administration, beginning with its president, vice president, and top advisers, including [Condoleezza] Rice . . . . while the axis of Jews is present with Paul Wolfowitz ," he continued.""
Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported today that Condoleezza Rice told Jumblat in Beirut two weeks ago that his visa to the US is conditional on his presentation of an apology to Paul Wolfowitz, which Jumblat is more than happy to do.
PS I watched a live press conference by Walid Jumblat in New York. How pathetic he was; how pathetic he sounded. Iyad `Allawi (former Iraqi puppet prime minister/Saddam's henchman/car bomber/embezzler-in-Yemen) is less of an overt Bush's puppet than this man now. But the Jumblat feudal dynasty has a long history in that regard: from the British, to the French, and then to the Syrians, and then to Bush. Only Kamal Jumblat tried to chart an independent course but the regime of Hafidh Al-Asad killed him. Days later Walid Jumblat was praising the Syrian role in Lebanon. I found it hilarious that among Lebanese politicians, he is considered "smart." He said that he wanted to meet with Henry Kissinger (he did meet with him) because he is a "legendary figure." He also said--I am not making this up, and he said it twice--that he found new evidence on Shib`a Farms status "on the internet." Yes, "on the internet." He almost lost his temper when a brave US journalist asked two crucial questions: whether he supports a census in Lebanon, and whether he has relations with the Mossad. He did not answer either questions, but went on about Syrian assassinations in Lebanon.