Tuesday, April 27, 2010

National Security Adviser Jones Apologizes For Joke About Jewish Merchant


Barack Obama Aide 'Sorry' For Taliban Jewish Merchant Joke -- The Telegraph

One of President Barack Obama's closest aides was forced to apologise for telling a joke about a Taliban militant who was tricked by a Jewish merchant.

The remarks by Gen James Jones, the US National Security Adviser, at a pro-Israel think tank last week were greeted with laughter and applause at the time, but were soon criticised by the Anti-Defamation League as "inappropriate".

"It's stereotypical. Some people believe they need to start a speech with a joke. This was about the worst kind of joke the head of the National Security Council could have told," said Abraham Foxman, ADL chairman, told ABC.

Read more ....

My Comment: I know it is a stupid joke .... and yes .... I know that he has apologized .... hence the case is closed. But if Condoleeza Rice had said such a thing when she was President Bush's National Security Adviser, everyone in the Democrat Party, the media, and every left wing blogger that I know would be demanding her resignation 24/7 .... and all of the apologies in the world would not have made a difference.

But in this case .... this story is being explained away as "a row that is being exploited by Right-wing pro-Israel groups hostile to Gen Jones, who is seen as a main instigator of Washington's pressure on Mr Netanyahu".

Is a double standard at play here .... you betcha.

Update: I do know that Condoleeza Rice is incapable of saying such a "bizarre" joke. She was (and is) a professional who always took her role as a senior official in the U.S. Government seriously .... including being cautious and careful with each and everyone of her public statements.

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