Giuliani rejects $10 million from Saudi prince

[Joel]

October 11, 2001 Posted: 8:36 PM EDT (0036 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Thursday the city would not accept a $10 million donation for disaster relief from Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal after the prince suggested U.S. policies in the Middle East contributed to the September 11 attacks.

"I entirely reject that statement," Giuliani said. "There is no moral equivalent for this [terrorist] act. There is no justification for it. The people who did it lost any right to ask for justification for it when they slaughtered 4,000 or 5,000 innocent people."

Prince Alwaleed gave the mayor a check after a Thursday morning memorial service at Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center towers destroyed in the attacks.

The prince offered his condolences to the people of New York, but after the ceremony he released a statement suggesting the United States "must address some of the issues that led to such a criminal attack."

"The check has not been deposited. The Twin Towers Fund has not accepted it," Giuliani said in a statement late Thursday.

The prince's statement said the United States "should re-examine its policies in the Middle East and adopt a more balanced stand toward the Palestinian cause.

"While the U.N. passed clear resolutions numbered 242 and 338 calling for the Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip decades ago, our Palestinian brethren continue to be slaughtered at the hands of Israelis while the world turns the other cheek," the statement said.

Giuliani flatly rejected the prince's position. "To suggest that there's a justification for [the terrorist attacks] only invites this happening in the future," he said. "It is highly irresponsible and very, very dangerous.

"And one of the reasons I think this happened is because people were engaged in moral equivalency in not understanding the difference between liberal democracies like the United States, like Israel, and terrorist states and those who condone terrorism.

"So I think not only are those statements wrong, they're part of the problem," Giuliani said.

[ALBPM]

Giuliani is the MAN!!!!!

Rip up the F**KER's check and kick his Sorry Arse out of NY.

[Liquid Snake]

Damn he has to leave at the end of this year and can not run for another term according to law.

[Joel]

Somebody's has got to speak up againist these rich ****oles who aren't even willing to help their own people. I was listen to a program on TV and it was talking about how these countries in the Middle East have been paying ole bin and his group protection money for him to leave them alone. And how they are basically wanting the US to take care of this problem for them by getting rid of ole binny boy.

Joel

[The PIT]

And now the Prince will be deaply hurt and insulted and will turn to dustbin liner. Unfortunaley the Prince doesn't realise that binliner also wants him dead until it's too late.

Giuliani did the right thing. Good one.

[ayoub_ibrahim]

Giuliani did the right thing

I agree 100% with him!

[KvHagedorn]

I think we will see more of Rudy..

Senator? Governor? President?

Hillary is lucky he had to withdraw from the Senate race, and lucky the election was before 9/11. She wouldn't stand a chance against him now.

[Dr Mordrid]

DAMN, that boy is on one helluva roll!!!

I did like how FOX news put it though: Rudy tells Saudi Prince where to put his check

Any bets he runs for VP with Bush in 2004 if Cheney has to drop out? Either that or he'll try for Schumers seat when it's up.

Schumers got some potential weaknesses in the post 911 world. He was one of the major barriers in past years to the immegration, intelligence and law enforcement reforms everyone is supporting now.

Dr. Mordrid

[Greebe]

Go Rudy Go!

[GT98]

I live in the NYC area and I believe that we'll see him on the 2008 Presidental Ticket..

Scott

[DentyCracker]

If prostate Ca. doesn't get him first.

[Joel]

AMHERST, Massachusetts (CNN) -- As Americans embrace the U.S. flag in a show of defiance against terrorists, the red, white and blue has stirred up controversy in a New England town.

It started in August when the town of Amherst put up a set of 29 flags at the urging of a group of veterans. Around Labor Day, the flags came down.

Veterans said it was because of complaints, but town officials said the removal was always scheduled, pending a public debate and vote.

On September 10, the Select Board voted 4-1 to fly the flags on six specified holidays. Other flags fly year-round at the town common and the police and fire stations.

During the debate, University of Massachusetts physics professor Jennie Traschen offered a controversial take on what the American flag means.

"It's a symbol of terrorism and death and fear and destruction and repression," she told the Select Board.

In the wake of the terrorist hijackings the next day, a group quickly put the flags back up.

"It just meant to me -- the battle's here -- what can I do here?" said Amherst flag supporter David Keenan, who said Traschen's remarks angered him.

"What country would allow a person to be able to say those things against their country?" Keenan asked.

This country would, Traschen's defenders said.

Even veteran Rod Raubeson, who first dreamed up raising the flags in his often left-leaning town, said he is opposed to attacking someone who's uncomfortable with the red, white and blue.

"My goodness, the very idea that they could dissent and have an opposite opinion is protected by the very banner that they're telling me they're frightened of," he said.

For now, the flags will stay up until Veterans Day.

"It's a recognition of the fact that people in Amherst have lost friends and family in the attacks on the United States," Town Manager Barry Del Castilho said.

I big thumbs up for the leadership in AMHERST, Massachusetts.

Joel

[paulcs]

In all fairness to Mrs. Clinton, I think she was on the verge of cleaning Rudy's clock during the Senate campaign. Hizzoner had more than medical problems. I'm not going to go into them, because I didn't care then, I don't care now, and I think it's wrong to attack a politician for that sort of thing.

I was never a big fan of Giuliani until recently. I've followed his career for many years, he certainly has his flaws, but he's obviously a great crisis manager. From day one (9/11), I've been impressed with his performance. I disliked him before. I sit in awe of him now.

Give him the job he's trained for and may be more qualified for than anyone in the country: Attorney General.

As for Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, no New York mayor is going to come out against past and current US policy with respect to Israel. His Highness is obviously a blithering idiot. Hopefully, he'll have his tongue cut out when he gets home.

Paul
paulcs@speakeasy.net

[GT98]

I was reading over at either foxnews.com or cnn.com that the Saudi's are pissed about what is happing in Afganstain and what NYC did with the check....hmmmmm


Scott

[Joel]

the Saudi's are pissed about what is happing in Afganstain and what NYC did with the check

I say fine, then you deal with Saddium Hussain yourself and don't holler for us when he attacks again.

Joel