Karen Hughes to Saudis: "We in America take our freedoms very seriously"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Hughes Raises Driving Ban With Saudis
More Political Freedom For Women Also Urged

By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 28, 2005; Page A01

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 27 -- Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes questioned Tuesday the Saudi ban on driving by women, telling a crowd of several hundred Saudi women, covered head to toe in black clothing, that it had negatively shaped the image of Saudi society in the United States.

"We in America take our freedoms very seriously," Hughes said. "I believe women should be free and equal participants in society. I feel that as an American woman that my ability to drive is an important part of my freedom."

Women in the audience applauded after she also mentioned that they should have a greater voice in the Saudi political system, including eventually receiving the right to vote.

Hughes hastened to add that Saudi society must change at its own pace and according to its own traditions, but she went significantly further in her statement than Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice did on a visit three months ago. Rice pressed for greater political freedoms for women but dismissed the subject of driving as "just a line that I have not wanted to cross." Asked about the contrast between her comments and Rice's, Hughes said her remarks were part of a U.S. policy of "slowly advancing ideas" with the Saudis. "My job is to raise issues in, I hope, a respectful way, to help other countries understand concerns Americans have," she said.

[Stephanie]

1. The Mayberry Machievellis, Unleashed!

Who is more crass, more unschooled, more inappropriate, than Karen? She is the absolute worst person for the job.

[Raster]

7. karen hughes: wetnurse to the beast. vile woman.

[bigbrother05]

12. I love that title

LMAO

[Raster]

18. It's a Raster original, and please, use it liberally. Let's make

the image stick. Wetnurse to the beast.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

2. Yep, the GOP have been seriously taking our freedoms

ever since they took over the country.

Refreshing honesty from a real shitbag of a dame.

[SOS]

21. Hughes version of "freedom":

"A woman in the audience then charged that under President Bush the United States had become "a right-wing country" and that criticism by the press was "not allowed."

"I have to say I sometimes wish that were the case, but it's not," Ms. Hughes said.

NYT 9/28/05

[bluestateguy]

3. Some issues should not be addressed "respectfully"

This is ethnic and religious hatred. Blatant sexism and a medieval society that we as Americans should not have anything to do with.

Would we treat southern segregationists and slaveowners with "respect"? How about Hitler and his Nazis?

"Oh, now um, we um, respectfully disagree with your point of view on the Jewish question, Mr. Hitler, sir. We have a different point of view".

Certain ideas need to be opposed root and branch, not given legitimacy with "respectful" treatment.

[Polethebear]

4. and in other news.........

Condi Rice announced she has a bridge in alaska to sell everyone.

[Clark2008]

15. Perhaps, but the problem lies with the United States

and particularly this administration's always stepping in and stopping the people of Saudi Arabia from overthrowing the royal family. We've been protecting them for years - and not just Republicans, but this administration is more firmly in bed with them than Clinton or Carter.

The only way women are going to get more freedoms in Saudi Arabia is for a full-scale revolution to overthrow the royals who condone Wahabbism.

[Toots]

20. Exactly; why aren't we in there "Liberating" those people?

If the goal of the USA is to "Liberate oppressed people of the world as we are supposedly doing in Iraq then Saudi arabia should be at the very top of our list. It is one of the most oppressive governments in existence. Even Iraqis were not as oppressed as the Saudis are.

[punpirate]

5. This woman, tied as her reputation is to a fake...

... like Bush, is perhaps the least free woman in this country. I doubt she's thought for herself in her entire life. Her present and her future are linked to Bush by chains. If he fails, she has failed. If she fails, he fails, and the same result occurs.

Talk about hitching your star to a submarine....

[Raster]

8. she can't let him go down, she's far too much invested.

like i've said many, many times, wetnurse to the beast.

[punpirate]

9. You gotta admit...

... though, that yours is pretty repulsive image....

[Raster]

17. and it's meant to be. hughes has suckled and shepherded the little

emperor from drunken fool to the great white hope. and we all know how that's turning out. I can't stand the woman. The faux texiana persona belies the fact that she's a stone, cold bitch with bizarre loyalty to dumbya.

[amber dog democrat]

14. I agree. She is kinda like Magda Goebbels

Her whole world is tied up in Der Chimp. When he goes " poof " , she will too.
And good riddance.

[JohnnyRingo]

6. I'm guessing she's planning on opening a "Karen Hughes School Of Driving"

chain in Jiddah after her tenure of diplomacy ends.

If the rules of Republican entrepreneurship apply.

As an aside .... she was the one that penned the phrase: "Compassionate conservative" in 1999.

[flordehinojos]

10. karen hughes believes in freedom for only a few of the american people...

even we, here in america, don't buy her bush mouthpiece lies.

[ladylibertee]

11. WHICH Americans? The people? (yes) the government? (NO!)

[SledDriver]

13. Which is why we passed the Patriot Act eliminating them...

and why we're going for Patriot Act II so we can get rid of them permanently.

[OneTwentyoNine]

16. Which is why Shehan was arrested for protesting in front of the WH...

People on a sidewalk protesing this boofoon called President must have not been on that "freedoms" list that Hughes was talking about.

[peekaloo]

19. But 4 way stops tend to confuse some of our women drivers.

Josephine Goebbels.....that uncompromising, enterprising, anything but tranquilizing Right Wing Maude!

[npincus]

22. that's what I call a cunning stunt!

[Julius Civitatus]

23. Karen Hughes Comedy Tour -- two drink minimum...

... except in Saudi Arabia!

Come join Karen Hughes as she makes a mockery of the remnants of American credibility in foreign policy. Laugh out loud when she proclaims falsehoods with a straight face.

Come see Karen Hughes!

See You Next Tuesday!!!

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

24. And her ENTIRE raison d'être in the position WAS...

"to improve the profile of America abroad," with an emphasis in the Arab / Muslim countries.

Foolish choice for a spokesmodel, I'll grant that...but to come out of the gates with Condi-style lectures and admonitions about how WE do things in the US may not sell that well in countries that don't give a rat's ass.

Maybe we could work on getting jobs that pay a living wage in our own country and worry about some of this other crap LATER. MUCH later.