One More Reason the Dems Have Lost the Jewish Vote

Fritz Hollings, AKA Rhode Island Red, agrees with the Arab and terrorist world. The US is just an Israeli puppet:

Israel's survival depends on knowing. Israel long since would have taken us to the weapons of mass destruction if there were any or if they had been removed. With Iraq no threat, why invade a sovereign country? The answer: President Bush's policy to secure Israel.

Led by Wolfowitz, Richard Perle and Charles Krauthammer, for years there has been a domino school of thought that the way to guarantee Israel's security is to spread democracy in the area. Wolfowitz wrote: "The United States may not be able to lead countries through the door of democracy, but where that door is locked shut by a totalitarian deadbolt, American power may be the only way to open it up." And on another occasion: Iraq as "the first Arab democracy ... would cast a very large shadow, starting with Syria and Iran but across the whole Arab world." Three weeks before the invasion, President Bush stated: "A new regime in Iraq would serve as a dramatic and inspiring example for freedom for other nations in the region."

Every president since 1947 has made a futile attempt to help Israel negotiate peace. But no leadership has surfaced amongst the Palestinians that can make a binding agreement. President Bush realized his chances at negotiation were no better. He came to office imbued with one thought -- re-election. Bush felt tax cuts would hold his crowd together and spreading democracy in the Mideast to secure Israel would take the Jewish vote from the Democrats. You don't come to town and announce your Israel policy is to invade Iraq. But George W. Bush, as stated by former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and others, started laying the groundwork to invade Iraq days after inauguration. And, without any Iraq connection to 9/11, within weeks he had the Pentagon outlining a plan to invade Iraq. He was determined.

Hollins responds:

(Columbia-AP) May 19, 2004 - Senator Ernest Hollings is defending statements he made in a newspaper opinion article he wrote that said President Bush went to war with Iraq to protect Israel and appease American Jews. Read it on the senator's web site

Hollings, a Democrat, refused to talk with The State newspaper in Columbia about the article on Tuesday, but his office released a letter the retiring senator sent a constituent as a statement.

Hollings wrote that he could provide quotes from Jewish leaders in the United States and Israel to support his position. Hollings says characterizations of his comments as "anti-Jewish" are ridiculous.

Hollings column appeared in three South Carolina newspapers earlier this month.

Abraham Foxman, president of the Anti-Defamation League, asked Hollings to retract his comments.

The same leaders that Kerry said wanted him to win but hasn't named?