Senators invoke Confederacy, Mandela to defend amnesty for insurgents

[brooklynite]

Five Republican Senators today took to the chamber floor invoking Nelson Mandela, the Confederacy, and even the Japenese to defend an Iraqi government plan to grant amnesty for insurgents who have attacked United States troops, or civilians, RAW STORY has learned.

...snip...

“If they bore arms against our people," said Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, "What's the difference between those people that bore arms against the Union in the War between the States? What’s the difference between the Germans and Japanese and all the people we’ve forgiven?”

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) likened the granting of amnesty to former insurgents to efforts that earned Nelson Mandela a Nobel prize. "Forgiveness," he said, "has been a major factor in what has been a political miracle in Africa."

Senator Saxby Chambliss argued that forgiveness had already been at work in Iraq, asking: “Is it not true today that we have Iraqis who are fighting the war against the insurgents, who at one time fought against American troops and other coalition troops as they were marching to Baghdad, who have now come over to our side and are doing one heck of a job of fighting along, side by side, with Americans and coalition forces, attacking and killing insurgents on a daily basis?"

Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and John Cornyn (R-TX) each took to the floor to argue that there should be no argument--that debate over whether or not to condemn the actions of the new government were merely distractions from real debate.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Senators_invoke_Confederacy_Mandela_to_defend_0615.html
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Now, beyond the obvious gaping hole of an opportunity this presents the Democrats, something else occurred to me: apparently the Republican policy is that if you pick up a gun or plant a bomb to attack Americans, you're eligible for amnesty; if you cross the border to find a job, you're not.

IN either case, I think we should all call the DNC office tomorrow, and tell them to get an ad out on the air while the memeory is still fresh.

[shain from kane]

1. I would ask Chambliss how many Americans died up to the capture of Baghdad

compared to how many have died since that date?
And how many insurgents have been created by our continued occupation of Iraq?

[Kolesar]

2. Pukes are trying to do "nuance". Well good luck

Why don't they just say "The Decider" decided it?

[anotherdrew]

3. what do you suggest - that we imprison a few 10s of thousands of Iraqis?

for how long? Or should they all be executed?

[Sagan]

4. By their own definitions, it would be TERRORISTS that are granted amnesty!

We are fighting TERRORISTS in Iraq, aren't we? We are according to what the House is saying! So the GOP in the Senate wants to pardon TERRORISTS now?

Why do they hate our troops so much?

[Dhalgren]

5. I am all for granting amnesty for any insurgent who stops fighting.

But why aren't our soldiers who decide to stop fighting given amnesty? I think it should go both ways...