Did Rep. Peter King Once Support Terrorists?
- Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:12am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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There’s an interesting discussion swirling around Rep. Peter King, the GOP congressman leading hearings about radical Islam and terrorism in the House. The accusation is that he once supported a terrorist group. He admits its true, but draws a distinction. And despite it being a tough sell, he’s not backing down.
A front-page report in the New York Times yesterday reminded readers that King, the descendant of Irish immigrants, was once a staunch supporter of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the Irish rebel group that regularly used terrorist tactics to fight British rule:
Long before he became an outspoken voice in Congress about the threat from terrorism, he was a fervent supporter of a terrorist group, the Irish Republican Army.
“We must pledge ourselves to support those brave men and women who this very moment are carrying forth the struggle against British imperialism in the streets of Belfast and Derry,” Mr. King told a pro-I.R.A. rally on Long Island, where he was serving as Nassau County comptroller, in 1982. Three years later he declared, “If civilians are killed in an attack on a military installation, it is certainly regrettable, but I will not morally blame the I.R.A. for it.”
King eventually became an important key in negotiating peace in Northern Ireland, receiving the praise of Bill Clinton. But despite achieving peace, King does not regret his previous comments. In fact, he told the Times the IRA was a “legitimate force” battling British repression. Interestingly, the Times notes even some of his critics agree in part:
Even Mr. King’s critics acknowledge a fundamental difference between the violence carried out by the I.R.A., which usually sought with varying success to minimize civilian casualties, and that of Al Qaeda, which has done the opposite. The I.R.A. was responsible for 1,826 of 3,528 deaths during the Northern Irish conflict between 1969 and 2001, including those of several hundred civilians, said the historian Malcolm Sutton
“King’s exactly right to say there’s a difference of approach between the I.R.A. and Al Qaeda,” said Tom Parker, a counterterrorism specialist at Amnesty International and a former British military intelligence officer. “But I personally consider both of them terrorist groups.”
But drawing the distinction hasn’t stopped many from piling on. In a segment last night, the Daily Show’s Jon Stewart roasted King for his IRA support. MSNBC did the same thing the night before:
On Wednesday, King reacted by blasting the Times article as “entirely distorted,” arguing it portrayed his involvement with the IRA inaccurately. Rather than taking up arms with the group, he said he was working for peace.
“What I did was take an active role,” he said, according to National Journal. “I was absolutely essential in bringing about that peace process. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people are alive today in Northern Ireland because of my efforts.”
The distinction he’s hoping to make is summarized in a piece in the Washington Post:
But King sees no parallel between the IRA and violent Islamist extremism, which he describes as a foreign enemy or a foreign-directed enemy. His preferred comparison for the IRA is with the African National Congress led by Nelson Mandela; the IRA, no less than the ANC’s military wing, was fighting for community rights and freedom, he says.
Yet that distinction he’s working so hard to make in order to ward off charges of hypocrisy is a tough sell. Especially when, as King himself admits, “terrorism is terrorism.”
Still, he continues his defense. “I [wanted] a peace agreement, a working agreement, where the nationalist community would feel their rights would be respected,” King told the Post. “I felt that the IRA, in the context of Irish history, and Sinn Fein were a legitimate force that had to be recognized and you wouldn’t have peace without them.”
“I understand why people who are misinformed might see a parallel,” King explained to the Times regarding the comparison some have made between the IRA and al-Qaeda. “The fact is, the I.R.A. never attacked the United States. And my loyalty is to the United States.”
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Comments (154)
sleazyhippo
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:02pmIf you support President George W. Bush, then Rep. King was a terrorism supporter, and therefore a terrorist.
Report Post »Nervous Investor
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:17pmsleazyhippo – I suspect that you are an agent provocateur ….but on this particular matter I would agree with you. And, as I remember, so are the Kennedy clan and Tip O‘Neil and many others who also supported the IRA’s atrocities in Northern Ireland and in England and so too are the gun runners who shipped money, explosives and weapons to the IRA that were used to kill and maim innocent people and so too are those who have sheltered IRA gunmen on the run right in the USA. So too are those who helped the IRA find refuge and training camps in Libya with Qaddafi and the PLO and other violent groups. And those who helped the Red Brigade and all the other murderers. And so too the Communist thugs that have brutalized so many millions of people around the world.
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:48pmNERVOUS INVESTOR
Report Post »You are correct in your logic- this shows the sense of Global War on Terror – and the concept that Terror is a dishonorable (if effective) tactic, that is embraced by cheats and cowards – such as those you rightfully mention.
Were it not for the Government’s organic fear of terror for the past ten years, we would be 3 Trillion dollars to the Black and there would be no TSA, no DHS, 150,000 fewer government workers!
Nervous Investor
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:02pmSorry …. King should be Fired from his position chairing that committee and then should step down as a Representative. His position is untenable. The Inquiry into the Muslim incubator for terrorism Must be held – King however is disqualified. I was living in London during part of the IRA offensive there in the 1970s and I never knew each day as I left home to board the train into Waterloo Station then the Underground system heading into the inner City of London financial district or into the West End whether a bomb would go off on the train or in the station or outside a building where I might be passing or working that day or on a bus that I might be riding on from one assignment to the next. Terrorism is terrorism.
Report Post »liberty12
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:31pmWhat about Our own Appointed POTUS (note: NOT written POTUS of America)?? He, nor the Justice Dept (Holder), Homeland Sec. J. Napolitano, will even speak the words or insinuate ANY “terrorism” exists anywhere? I tell you, they are “playing the opposites game” in DC. Herman Cain’s analysis=SIN Switch & distract subject(s) Ignore the truth or facts Name-calling! This is the left’s whole plan.
Report Post »lorik
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:59pm@ Nervous Investor…well said!
Report Post »The Third Archon
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:38pm@LIBERTY12
“Appointed POTUS”
Umm…do you mean George W. Bush, because Bush v. Gore 2000 is the ONLY case of a President being appointed in U.S. history (in this case, by the Supreme Court)–all other Presidents have been elected according to the usual process described in the Constitution and stood for election (although some were elected VP according to the electoral process described in the Constitution, which has changed, then became President for some reason).
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:01pmTerrorism is a fear tactic. Organizations that use it are terrorist organizations. Their supporters are terrorists.
Report Post »Terror is Not Honorable.
Does anyone remember President Bush and the Bush Doctrine? Countries are either with us or against us in supporting Terror. Period.
teddrunk
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:58pmComparing the Founding Fathers to people blowing up children in Belfast? Now I’ve heard everything. Of course the IRA were also terrorists.
Report Post »takemout
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:46pmThe left with all of its hacks are trying to a hatchet job on Rep. King to discredit him before the hearings begin. The left hates the America we love so much that they will do anything, ANYTHING to destroy us.
Report Post »LOD
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:57pmAmen brother.
Report Post »LOD
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:39pmGetting news editorials from Jon Stewart is like watching Jay Leno for updated news of the day! They are entertainers and comedians, PERIOD! As for the IRA, call them what you want. The fact of the matter is if you went through the crap they endured by the British military and government you’d take up arms and start wiping them out as well. Our Founding Fathers would be, by today’s definition, terrorists. They stood in defiance against tyranny and took the matter into their own hands.
The problem today is that we have become (Warning: Making up a new word here!) “pansified” and in doing so we have become so complacent about our own freedom that we allow those who are destroying this country to walk all over us and continue to destroy the American way of life. Holding up signs at a protest and waiting for election day to throw the bums out has a minimal chance of enacting real change because the “other side” can always get support for their sick and twisted agenda. I am not calling for violence, but you MUST draw a line in the sand. Go back and read the Declaration of Independence. Look at the list of reasons they wrote that document that are clearly listed in the document. Those reasons started the American Revolution. By my analysis, over half of those exact same reasons are being committed by our government this very day. I wrote out a thesis on it a couple years ago after spending many months studying and cross-referencing the Declaration -vs- today’s current events. They revolted back then over a 3% tax. Today, we “put up with” 40%-60% tax and do nothing but whine about it or do what we are told.
I know I am a bit off topic here, but not one of us has ever tasted real freedom and in the past 10 years we have lost more of our liberties because we continue to do nothing about it. We are happy with the table scraps that are given to us by our government masters. We allow government to walk all over the Constitution without any punishment or accountability for their actions. We do not have a representative government anymore for the most part. We have tyranny. They just haven’t come beating down your door and taking you away…yet.
Do I support the IRA, you’re damn right I do! Go rent a copy of “Michael Collins” or “The Wind that Shakes the Barley” or “50 Dead Men Walking” and then tell me you have sympathy for tyrannical governments infringing upon freedom and liberty. I doubt most of you could stomach the atrocities that the Irish people endured by the hands of the British from 1913 to the late 1990′s.
Our way of life in this country is being destroyed daily because the other side is actively following through with their agenda while we sit around and talk about how terrible it is. Grow a set and get involved! Most Americans today do not understand the sacrifice our Founding Fathers made when they TRULY devoted their lives, property (liberty) and sacred honor to form the country that we enjoy today. We are all too worried about our jobs and our creature comforts to be bothered with the chance of losing them to defend something we believe in. I am not pooling everyone in this statement because some of us are willing to sacrifice everything to see this country returned to the republic that it was meant to be and end the reign of socialists and communists that are destroying everything.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:17pmI don’t think the founding fathers were terrorists either, but I would not have wanted to be a Tory in certain Patriot-ruled areas during the American Revolution–which in many respects was a very ugly civil war. 60,000 people fled the US after 1781 rather than suffer Patriot reprisals, including several thousand slaves who’d been freed by the British.
Between 1913 and the 1990s the Irish inflicted way more atrocities on one another than they endured at the hands of the British. Only a few hundred died in the troubles of 1919-1921, but thousands in the Free State-IRA civil war of 1922-1923. Many more died at the hands of IRA terrorists (or in Protestant reprisals) than at the hands of the British, even with Bloody Sunday and the internments all put together, in the 1960s-1990s. I hope you are not encouraging anyone to form an opinion on 20th-century Ireland onthe basis of a couple of movies!
Report Post »APatriotFirst
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:43pmTotally agree. Well said.
Report Post »The Third Archon
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:43pmThe Founding Fathers were terrorists–I’m sorry, history isn’t pretty, and you can grow up and stop crying about it, or go home.
Incidentally, most of them where also elitists who didn’t believe in mass suffrage (no women, no coloreds, and no-unpropertied whites) and racists who held slaves and believed that a racial hierarchy could be clearly correlated to human value and performance.
Nevertheless, I’m glad they fought the British, I’m not sure if they were technically “right” in fighting the British, but I certainly enjoy the end result of it 250 years later, so I’m fine with how everything turned out, and I think they should be honored for their role in the Nation’s founding. However, to remove them from history and romanticize away all their character flaws and wrong ideas and actions if misleading and ignorant of the facts. No person is wholly good or evil–these are not statuses, they are descriptions of beliefs and actions, and the Founding Fathers thought and believed things both good and evil.
Report Post »LOD
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 5:28pmNo I am not. I am just trying to say before everyone starts loosely calling the IRA terrorists, look at the situation that they went through in their eyes. If that happened here, do you think for a split second similar groups wouldn’t form here and start carrying out deeds to rid the land of tyrannical forces? If the Brits had minded their own business instead of being arrogant, more of them would be alive today. No secret that I am of Irish descent. I don’t agree with everything that the IRA did, but in the same instance they were fighting for independence from Britain, and any fight for liberty I would proudly join.
Report Post »thebertmanlives
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:38pmNobody radicalizes a muslim better than the Radical Right And that was Bin Laden’s plan all along and the average rightie plays right into it. They came here to be free or grow up here being taught we are free and then what they see is bigotry and stereotyping. Instead of fearing and hating, Why don’t you try Friendship and civility. 9/11 was 9+ years ago and King is just now doing this, Hmmm. This is nothing but a political ploy but it sure makes for some good red meat for the rights brainwashed masses which thankfully are a small minority, Small but vocal.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:42pm“9/11 was 9+ years ago and King is just now doing this.”
This is nothing new, it is par for the course for us Americans! The Federalist panic over “Jacobinism” in America peaked several years after Jacobinism itself had become a spent force. McCarthyism peaked only after HUAC and the FBI had pretty much put paid to the threat of Communist subversion already. To mix metaphors, we always seem to beat the dead horse after it’s already out of the barn.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:09pm@Lloyd Drako
So we have had no Muslim terrorist attacks since 9/11? I guess if you only watch Liberal media you wouldn’t know that there have been numerous attempted attacks by Muslims since 9/11.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:55pmBlackhawk1:
You are correct, and some of the terrorist plots since 9/11 have been broken up thanks to tips provided by (supposedly non-existent) moderate Muslims.
There is indeed a threat from radical Islam, and King is entitled to have his hearings! I just don’t think much is likely to come of them that is not aready known.
Report Post »red_white_blue2
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:35pmSimply put, the IRA was fighting oppresion from Britain as did we back in 1776. Radical Islam is fighting the western way of life and the Jewish faith and want to bring an end to both…I see a difference, do you?
Report Post »RobR
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:28pmHate to tell you, we all support terrorists in this country. The longer We the People don’t throw Obama out of our White House, the more culpable we are and the worse it gets.
We need to impeach this bastard NOW, for our children and our grandchildren, that’s if our children can even afford to give us grandchildren when he ( Obama ) gets through with us.
Report Post »Nigel2
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:34pmHe has committed no High crimes or misdemeanors that would warrant impeachment. At least from a legal definition. If you know of any, write to any Republican congressman immediately. Barring that, we wait for November 2012.
Report Post »RIGHTNOTLEFT
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:27pmThe term terrorist and terrorism has been hijacked by the progressives in this country. They would say that any murder would be a terror attack, because you would be terrified.
They have turned the word terror into there newest politically correct term.
Rep King should continue his CRUSADE against the islamist threat in this country.
Light is the best disinfectant!!!!
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:27pmAnd the coordinated leftwing attack machine begins ,it’s character assassination time.Same tactic different target. Soooo predictable .
Report Post »Nigel2
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:26pmOnly if you consider the IRA terrorists. Remember, Briton was the occupier. I guess that would also make our founding fathers terrorists.
FE Fi Fo Fom, I smell the blood of an Englishman!! God bless Ireland!!
Report Post »tompaineknowsthescore
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:57pmFor gods sake the whole of radical islam is a reaction to colonialism, al-qaeda a reaction to the russian invasion of afghanistan, the muslim brotherhood british colonialism, hezbollah and hamas israeli colonialism
Report Post »Dahart
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:14pmHUMMMM?
If we use the lefts definition of terrorist or terrorist group dose that now mean we can call Union’s a terrorist group?
Report Post »TSUNAMI-22
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:11pmSomeday soon the headlines will read:
Report Post »Did president Barack Hussein Obama Once Support Terrorists?
TheBees
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:25pmWhat do you mean “Once”? P-Bo supports terrorists now!!!
Report Post »cassandra
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 4:31pmObummer won’t even call the Ft.Hood Shooter a terrorist
Report Post »lilium479
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:10pmLet’s define the enemy. If you don’t want to find out who the terrorists are then
Report Post »you agree with the terrorists. You just can’t quote the Constitution when
it suits them. The Devil quotes the Bible when it suits him. Let’s stop the BS.
Remember McCarthy was RIGHT. He was Demonized by Communists in
our country. Now King is being demonized by terrorists and terrorist sympathizers.
UpstateNYConservative
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:05pmI see no practical difference between King’s support for the IRA thirty years ago, and Lefty support today of the overthrow of Hosni Mubarek. There is peace in Ireland now, while Egyptians are still killing each other. Gotta love that liberal double standard!
King is looking to protect the United States. Since no one else wants to make the attempt, he’s stepping up to the plate. If the Left wants to point fingers, they should recall their guy Robert Byrd–a former KKK recruiter–talking about civil rights. According to Uyger the other night, the biggest hate group is the Klan.
I hope nothing stops King in his endeavor to investigate Islamism. If his history becomes an issue for his constituents, they can always vote him out next election.
Report Post »Chrono_Sleuth
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:16pmWell, I think the biggest difference here is that King was actively working towards peace. The leftist groups were working towards chaos. Though both were working for freedom in the end from a form of dictatorship. Though I don’t see the left groups moving in any direction to help calm down Egypt, whereas King was very active all the way through the process.
Report Post »mill
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:16pmRight
The left is trying to demonize ANYONE that works to uncover terrorism in our country.
Report Post »Obama needs to be taken out of office. He has brought much of this to us. Remember the comment..about nothing more beautiful than the “call to prayer”…..
so you Christians out there…he’s not talking about that sunday church bell…
encinom
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:50pmUpstateNYConservative
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:05pm
“I see no practical difference between King’s support for the IRA thirty years ago, and Lefty support today of the overthrow of Hosni Mubarek.”
Are you saying that Beck was wrong when he condemed the movement to overthrow Mubarek, was Beck wrong with his conspiracy theories?
Report Post »UpstateNYConservative
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:05pm@encinom
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:50pm
UpstateNYConservative
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:05pm
“I see no practical difference between King’s support for the IRA thirty years ago, and Lefty support today of the overthrow of Hosni Mubarek.”
Are you saying that Beck was wrong when he condemed the movement to overthrow Mubarek, was Beck wrong with his conspiracy theories?
____________
No, and that should be plain. Where does Beck come into this, anyway? If you need to mention Beck so badly, there’s another site called Huffington Post where you can bring up his name even if the topic is “Mary Had a Little Lamb According To Marx”.
What I’m saying is that the Left condemns King, insinuating he’s a hypocrite and supporter of terror, while Lefties support other groups that kill people. Maybe the Egyptian thing wasn’t the best analogy, so let me try a different one:
The Left’s total support for the Palestinians. The groups running the PA have a dedicated purpose to kill Israelis as stated in their own charters. The IRA is no longer fighting, while the Palestinians will never stop until every Israeli is either dead or driven into the sea. Liberals support the PA in full, so if they want to point a finger at King they need to first take a look at themselves.
See my point now?
Sheesh! What a one-track ‘mind’ you have.
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:03pmBridgette Gabriel says the CIA, FBI, state department and pentagon are already infiltrated by radical Muslims.
Report Post »Cowgirl
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:02pmJon Stewart was too painful to watch. I had to give up on watching this one…
Report Post »Vixvenom
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:36pmSame here, ticked me off. IRA eventually became filled with idiotic gangsters instead of political activists…they did become a terrorist group…that’s why they splintered so many times, trying to regain some intellectual credibility. If King supported them, he is either too stupid to know what they were or is of questionable character. Either way, he is now a turd in my eyes.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:54amI suppose liberals would classify the Minutemen during the Revolutionary War terrorists.
Report Post »quarter horseman
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:00pmI second that and was thinking the same thing
Report Post »encinom
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:22pmThe truth is that the IRA is also a socialist organization. Read the writing of Gerry Adams, the leder of the politcal arm, Sinn Fein.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:57pmencinom
Trying to do some revisionist history there aren’t you?
Report Post »liberty12
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:05pmLook up “The War Powers Act” (Passed by Roosevelt) All US citizens were deemed & considered “ enemies of the State” & under Emergency Rule – this Act has not been overturned. Cross reference w/the other totalitarian dictatorship regime rule #4 ) confiscation of all properties of immigrants & rebels. Same thing!
Report Post »encinom
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:26pm@Blackhawk1
How is the stating the fact that Sinn Fein, the IRA’s politcal wing a socialist organzation, (read a Free Ireland by Gerry Adams) revionist. Rep. King is on the record supporting a terrorist, socialist organizatoin that was against our allie, Britian.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:42pm@encinom
Let’s look seriously at Ireland. You have 2 political Parties, The Social Democratic and Labour Party affiliated to the Socialist International and Party of European Socialists which is not unlike our Far Left loon Democrats here. Then you have The Sinn Féin which is a left wing republican political party in Ireland. Sorry there is no longer a Conservative Party in Ireland probably due to the Socialist European thought process.
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:37pmTerror is a tactic. It is used by cowards. The patriots who fought the American Revolution were GUERRILLAS, not terrorists! The Bush Doctrine means persons who support terrorist organizations are the same as terrorists!
Report Post »encinom
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 4:59pmThe political parties of Northern Ireland have nothing to with does of Britian, until recently Larbour was not allowed in NI. The NI Assembly is made up of the following parites:
Democratic Unionist, Sinn Féin, Ulster Unionist, SDLP, Alliance, Green (NI), Independent.
Sinn Féin is considered a democratic socialist or left-wing party and aligns itself with the European United Left–Nordic Green Left. The party pledges support for minority rights, migrants’ rights, and eradicating poverty. Sinn Féin supports nationalized health care. Sinn Féin is republican in the sense of its stated desire to join with the Republic of Ireland, while Unionist parties and mostly conservative and seek to remain in union with Britian.
Again Peter King support a socialist, terror organization, similar to Hamas. He is a hypocrite for calling these witch hunts if he is not willing to look at his own support of terror, (that is the opinion of a Judge in England, again an allie, that Beck says Obama is ignoring).
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:54amCzar of DIVERSION working overtime AGAIN
Report Post »sigh
Kudos to Rep King!!!
Bigliardi
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:52amAlthoiugh terrorism is never the answer, I think rational people are able to differentiate between a terrorist group who is trying to reclaim its homeland, and an alliance of terrorist groups whose stated aim is to force Islam on all the people on earth….
Report Post »quarter horseman
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:59amPerfectly said.
Report Post »tompaineknowsthescore
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:55pmMuslims extremists that want to export islam globally are very very small.
Report Post »Hezbollah and Hamas are fighting for their percieved homeland just like the IRA did
im not condoning any of them but the parrelles are clear
teachermitch32
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:03pmExcept for the part about, “trying to reclaim their homeland”. Israel is not their homeland. And, as you accurately proclaimed, they will not stop there and have proven this time and time again.
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:06pmIf you support the Bush Doctrine, which equates terror as dishonorable activities to instill fear, then Rep.King was a supporter of a terror organization, and a de facto terrorist.
Report Post »tompaineknowsthescore
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:13pm@teacher
its not about the who’s homeland is it, its about perception many Irish protestants want to remain in their homeland ‘britain’ where as ira perceive the same area as a different homeland. its the same with the palestinians and israelis
Report Post »SimpleTruths
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:37pmYou might want to ask a Native America about that point of view. Who‘s homeland do you think we’re sitting on?
Report Post »SimpleTruths
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:44pmUsing your logic, then a Native American terrorist group would be justified.
Report Post »jblaze
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:50amSame old, same old! Whoever the left feel frightened of they try and trash! Who cares what the left say or think! They have proven themselves to be liers and cheats! Just ignore it! Keep going forward Mr. King….like a bulldozer through a pile of manure.
Report Post »SimpleTruths
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:35pmYeah, don’t cloud things up with stupid facts. Everybody knows those lefties use silly things like facts to throw us off course. Like the fact that the Koch brothers father, Fred Koch, worked tirelessly to build 15 oil refineries for Joesph Stalin, that shouldn’t stop us from supporting them in their effort to build even more wealth for themselves, that’s what America is all about.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:28pmSimpleTruths
Let’s look at the facts.
1) Winkler-Koch built 15 cracking units between 1929 and 1932 in the Soviet Union…We were allies then and even fought with them in WW!!.
2) During his time in the Soviet Union, Koch came to despise communism and Josef Stalin’s regime, writing in his 1960 book, A Business Man Looks at Communism, that he found the Soviet Union to be “a land of hunger, misery, and terror.”
This has what to do with the Koch Brothers other than they inherited their fathers business savvy?
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:46am“The fact is, the I.R.A. never attacked the United States. And my loyalty is to the United States.”
It is obvious that Rep. King’s loyalty is to the United States. Carry on!
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:10pmGood point, just as we supplied the mujahadene during their fight to free Afghanistan from the USSR one persons freedom fighters may be another groups set of terrorists. Where is the line between the two to be found though.
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:37pmTo be honest, back in the days when the IRA were active, many Americans chose sides in the Irish debacle. The British were either hated or sympathized for their involvement in Ireland. So if King publicly expressed his opinion years ago about it, so what? Many other Americans (including the Kennedys) did so as well.
What is more relevant today is his fears about the current terrorist threat to America. What happened in Ireland, stayed in Ireland. What happens here affects all of us and we need to be forewarned if we are in danger.
To the libs using comments from his past to try to discredit him, let’s talk about Bill Ayers, shall we?
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:38pmSo representative King and Bono have something in common.
Report Post »tompaineknowsthescore
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:53pmKing criticised Iman Rauf for supported HAMAS has HAMAS ever attacked the US directly? no. plus Britain is one of the US’s staunchest allies
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:56pmThe way I see it is that it gives him more experience. At least he helped bring about Peace. I hope he can help do the same here. Anything that can be done to help bring about peace here, I’m all for it. I think what he is planning to do will bring better results that stripping at the airport. If he can get ANY muslims to co-operate maybe we can put a stop to some of this nonsense.With C.A.I.R telling all Muslims not to help the FBI, we are certainly not getting any help now.
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 5:42pmHis current witch hunts aren’t aimed at people who directly attacked the United States, or even those who direct;y support those who did. Nobody is against investigating people like that. But when he paints with a broad brush and attacks those whose only crime is minding their own business and not getting involved, his statement that he never took up arms seems a little weak and self-serving.
Report Post »DRINDY
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:43amIt’s a far-left tactic trying to mislead the facts and stop Senator King from investigating the Muslim Brotherhood and Muslim terrorists in America. I found this fantastic video on YouTube. Take a look and see what you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGK9McARRfE
Report Post »Red Meat
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:06pmIt‘s Congressman King and I don’t trust him. He’s a gun grabber.
Report Post »Hoosier Daddy
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:05pmRed Meat: Yes, he gets a quarter ounce of trust and needs to provide a metric ton of verification before I regard anything he does as “in our interests”.
Report Post »lovenfl3
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:32pm@DRINDY – That’s exactly what it is.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:43amIs not a terrorist group still a terrorist group regardless of the wrapping upon it?
Report Post »chubbzbar
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:56amSome people would also say that our Founding Fathers were terrorists. Most of the same things they are saying about the IRA could be said about the Revolutionary War.
Report Post »Chrono_Sleuth
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:02pmFor all their actions to reduce civilian casualties, they never exactly organized it so bombs go off at night, in places that were empty of people, or gave notice beforehand to specific buildings to ensure no one was inside before setting off their bombs.
I would respect King more in this if he were just open and honest and acknowledge that his past position was wrong in the sense of defending terrorism. Still, it should not diminish the point of this inquiry, which will hopefully create a meaningful dialogue on what the Muslim community is doing to address terrorism beyond just calling in.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:03pmI love to eat burgers…. but also love my dog. I guess I support slaughter of animals, but PETA as well? I am so confused….
Report Post »Dr.Doofenschmirtz
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:04pmI don’t think a group that “seeks to minimize civilian casualties” is a terrorist organization, but I don’t know much about the IRA.
Report Post »In the Revolutionary War, the colonists appeared to be a group of citizens without uniforms inflicting casualties upon the British and trying to minimize civilian casualties.
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:09pm@Chubbzbar
Fair point on the founding fathers; it is just hard for me at times to find the line of where you can draw the difference between freedom fighters (like the mujahadeen v Russian, or the French Resistance v. Germany), defenders against an occupying government, and true terror groups such as Al Quaida.
Report Post »Chrono_Sleuth
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:10pm@chubbz,
They did, though I don’t think the exact language was the same, but what the founding fathers did was very very very very different. We also never slaughtered pro-englishmen. The only real slaughter that was used to push the war and drove many neutral people was the massacre in Boston, and that was caused by the English/Pro-English, even if it was instigated by pro-revolutionaries. I doubt they felt the soldiers would take it that far.
About the only thing we really bothered to pull off were guerilla-style tactics against English soldiers, battalions, and such. There is a vast vast vast difference between how our Founding Fathers acted and the nature and actions taken by any terrorist group.
Though I suppose you could say there is one grounding similarity between the IRA and the founding fathers if the US: The goal was freedom. Something Al Quaeda doesn’t care about, they just want destruction, but again, the tactics and rationale are very different.
Report Post »mill
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:11pmFrankly my dear…..I’m more concerned about the freakin radicals that are trying to destroy our country..not the lunatics that stay away from us..
People will look for anything to stop any investigation into Radical Islam/Muslim jerks killing our people and trying to bring sharia and shame to our shores.
Report Post »Stonewall_Jackson
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:25pmJust because someone is willing to kill or be killed for what they believe does not make them a terrorist. Our very own founding fathers were considered terrorist by the King of England. With the current threat from the terrorist groups today be it Al Qaeda or many of the domestic groups here in the US they simply want to direct their way of life, values and beliefs on us to change our Nation from what we are to what they deem it should be. Terrorism is a tactic used by military/groups/individuals to get what they want.
Time we openly admit who the enemy is and make plans to fight them here as they are here now. Sounds hard I know but keep in mind they are willing to die for their cause, are you?
Report Post »encinom
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:25pmNot only is the IRA a terrorist group, read the writing of Gerry Adams, the leader of its political wing, Sinn Fein, its a socialist group also.
Peter King has added a international socialist, terrorist organization with fund raising in the US. Additionally, the group targets our allie, Britian. So Peter King harbors hatered for our NATO allie
Report Post »Blacktooth
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:48pmThere is a time for war, there is a time for peace. This is not the time for peace it seems.
Report Post »For now, the world will continue to spiral down into chaos.
tompaineknowsthescore
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:49pmif this man wants to arrest those who back and fund hamas then he should be arrested
Report Post »liberty12
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:52pmIf for nothing else, I for one am happy that someone is having a Conversation about this percieved threat. Life, is after-all about preceptions. Hopefully there will NO political correctness language used to spoil bringing out the T R U T H Those that want the destruction of America cannot stand in the light of truth. I believe that the muslim people that are here by choice should stand-up and lead on this issue, and ultimately peacefully resolve IT & all other mulsim related “terror” “Jhad” questions once & for all. The sooner the better, Thank you Mr. King for calling for a discussion forum, no matter what the talk is about your past agandas. Work to expose Truth.
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:08pmHe seems to be terrorist material….If you support President George W. Bush, then Rep. King was a terrorism supporter, and therefore a terrorist.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:17pm@ SNOW and CHUB…………The war of independence was not acts of terrorism !!!!!!!!!!!! They fought against oppressive British rule and taxation without any form of representation in the British parliament. They did not target intentionally civilians or even fight on British soil as to undermine or transform the government. Terrorism most commonly defined is as follows……… those violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror), are perpetrated for a religious, political or ideological goal, deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants (civilians), and are committed by non-government agencies.
As you can see our founding fathers were none of these things as they raised a militia and declared an official war of independence with a government that refused to give them fair representation. To equate the 2 (not that you guys did) is simply wrong and demonstrates a lack of knowledge about what constitutes one or the other. However, because it is advantageous to certain groups today to re-write and define history to justify their actions most people have lost all sense of a moral compass when it comes to the distinction. Just my 2 cents
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:05pmDid Obama once attend Jeremiah Wright’s church for years? Did Obama say he wanted wealth redistribution from his own mouth? Did Obama do drugs at one time? Did Obama bow to the Saudi King? Did Obama lie about the cost of a leg amputation in this country? Did Obama meet secretly with the head of SEIU for months and months? Did Obama attend socialist rallies in his youth? etc. etc. etc.
Report Post »Yet I don’t see any pundits claiming this invalidates his actions or their validity !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oldoldtimer
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:24pmWho cares? All I am concerneed about is the hearings he is holding now about radical I s lam.
Report Post »lovenfl3
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:26pmYou have to love how they are now calling him an anti-Muslim. Peter King has every right to investigate this.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:39pmHere is a website that points to a 20 point agenda for the transforming of America into a Muslim country or at least a Muslim dominated country via laws and sympathizers !!!!!!! Notice who the PhD is …..
http://www.undergroundnotes.com/islamic.htm
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:40pmWhat matters most is not their methedology but their goals and targets. This is why many hated Bush’s idea that we were at war with terrorism. We are or should be at war with the specific group of terrorists that are intent on destroying us.
The IRA are terrorists, but their goals are fairly limited and their targets similarly limited. They never posed any kind of threat to America’s national interest.
Besides, what about the Mujahedin in Afghanistan that we supported agaisnt the Soviets? I doubt all their military methods would have been acceptable to us but we supported them in their war against the Soviet invaders. I wouldn’t call Charlie Wilson a terrorist because of that.
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:36pmFolks, do a little reading on history. The I.R.A. are patriots. The terrorists in ireland are the British, The orange orders, the Presbetarian Church. The irish were victims of british genocide for hundreds of years. George Washington was a terrorist to the british also
Report Post »veruca salt
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 9:34pmOne man‘s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter
Report Post »ottodiedacktick
Posted on March 10, 2011 at 1:06am@SNOWLEOPARD
You are correct, a terrorist is a terrorist. To Chubbzbar: If our Founding Fathers had lost the Revolutionary War, they would’ve been considered traitors not terrorists. I think you are mistaking the common analogy of Israeli freedom fighters as terrorist with the struggle to found this nation. The Revolutionary Army wore uniforms and fought against uniformed soldiers (Brittish, Prussian, etc).
However, Rep. King is correct: All Irish-Americans should be investigated for anti-american terrorist activities. They were obviously fighting a religious war (Catholics vs. Protestants) to oust the Protestants from the Province of Ulster. Also, the IRA was very instrumental in helping the terrorists in Columbia (FARC). So, I agree with Rep. King, the Irish-Americans should be investigated because they are Catholo-fascist! What?!!! He wants to investigate american-born Muslims. I thought the Muslims that were attacking us were all foreign born. Now, I’m really confused. Anyway, we should investigate someone, anyone, as long as it appears that we are doing something.
Thank you Rep. King for this brilliant solution, Let’s target American-born Muslims while doing nothing to secure the border to prevent foreign-born Muslim radicals from entering the country.
Report Post »StonyBurk
Posted on March 10, 2011 at 8:11amIs not the Democratic Party and their useful idiots the most anti-American and anti-Christian for attempting to distract America– and do real damage to the King Investigation-via these revelations drudging up irrelevant and distorted images from long ago? How is it they suppress any similar
Report Post »revelations about their black messiah allahObama?