The Stupid Party

No. Not the Republicans. Today it is the Congressional Democrats who are the Stupid Party. Jim Henley reports: >[Unqualified Offerings](http://highclearing.com/index.php/archives/2006/07/26/5325): A funny thing happened on the way to the al-Maliki address to the US Congress: >>House Democrats on Monday crafted a letter to Hastert urging him to cancel the speech by al-Maliki to the chamber. The letter, which was being circulated for signatures, argues that if the Iraqi leader's positions are at odds with U.S. foreign policy goals then he should not be given the honor of giving an address from the speaker'9s podium. >The greatest offense? >>"The Israeli attacks and airstrikes are completely destroying Lebanon's infrastructure," al-Maliki is quoted in the paper as saying last Wednesday during a news conference in Baghdad. "I condemn these aggressions and call on the Arab League foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo to take quick action to stop these aggressions. We call on the world to take quick stands to stop the Israeli aggression." >The letter also goes into some stuff about al-Maliki's coalition being "increasingly influenced by the government in Iran." But if that were the real problem, the Congressional Dems have had plenty of time to draw up a letter before now. Maliki%u2019s real offense is forcefully stating an opinion of the current conflict between Israel and Lebanon that is held, in some form, almost everywhere on Earth outside the United States and Israel. For that the House Dems have produced this piece of paper, to roll it up and use it to swat al-Maliki's nose. >>Republican Speaker Hastert told reporters that even if al-Maliki doesn't apologize for earlier comments condemning Israel for its assault on Hezbollah terrorist targets in Lebanon, the prime minister "should address Congress.... The U.S. has 130,000 troops [in Iraq]" and Washington must maintain a dialogue with the Iraqi government. Yep. House Democrats. Scoring cheap domestic political points without regard to the national or world interest. Of course, Jim Henley points out that the Republicans are the Stupid Party too: >Forgive me for thinking that if a Democratic leadership had invited al-Maliki to speak to Congress in these circumstances, a Republican minority would have drafted the same letter. >Perhaps they should keep a copy on file. ---- >>[MarsEdit: Easy weblog editing](http://ranchero.com/marsedit/)