Friday, June 04, 2010

A WORD THAT SOMEHOW DIDN'T BOTHER LIZ CHENEY FOR EIGHT YEARS

Headline from Greg Sargent:

Liz Cheney attacks Obama for saying flotilla deaths were "tragic"

And yes, if we go to the Web site of Liz's group Keep America Safe, that's the message:




Greg is referring to this statement on Liz's site, which begins:

Yesterday, President Obama said the Israeli action to stop the flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip was "tragic." What is truly tragic is that President Obama is perpetuating Israel’s enemies' version of events....

So, um, it's forbidden to use the word "tragic" in situations like this?

Funny, I don't remember hearing that from Liz, or from her dad, when, in March 2002, five Israelis were killed by a Palestinian gunman in the Gaza Strip and Liz's dad's nominal boss, George W. Bush, said,

I'm deeply concerned about the tragic loss of life and escalating violence in the Middle East....

The violence and tragic loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives must end....


Also in 2002, Liz was silent when, at the time of the Battle of Jenin, in which at least 52 Palestinians and 23 IDF soldiers died, a Bush radio address referred to

the tragic outbreak of violence in the Middle East. Across the world, people are grieving for Israelis and Palestinians who have lost their lives.

And I don't recall Liz objecting in July 2006, after an Israeli air raid on Qana in southern Lebanon killed dozens, President Bush said,

It's a tragic occasion when innocent people are killed, and so our sympathies go out to those who lost their lives today, and lost their lives throughout this crisis.

Nor did Liz speak up in November 2006, after 19 Palestinians, including 9 children, were killed by Israeli shelling, the White House issued a statement that said in part,

The United States is deeply saddened by the injuries and loss of life in Gaza today.... We hope ... that appropriate steps will be taken to avoid a repetition of this tragic incident....

Gosh, what's changed since then? Certainly not the meaning of the word "tragic." Hmm, let me think....

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