Edward I. Koch
Wednesday, June 29, 2005

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A takeover of Unocal by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation would dramatically improve China's access to the world's oil supply, to our substantial disadvantage. This could not come at a worse time. Oil prices are skyrocketing due to increasing demand and monopolistic cartels.

Paul Krugman, op ed columnist for The Times, writes, "If it were up to me, I'd block the Chinese bid for Unocal." I agree. The U.S. should include oil among the strategic materials and services (e.g., broadcasting) that have to be protected from foreign ownership.

A publicly owned American corporation is required to provide maximum returns to its shareholders. A corporation controlled by a foreign government would necessarily promote the interests of that government, even if they conflict with those of the U.S.

Democrats' Views on Terrorism

I don't think that Karl Rove or Dick Durbin should have to apologize for their controversial political remarks. At a Conservative Party dinner, Rove accused some Democrats – specifically pointing to MoveOn.org, which spent lots of money on commercials in the last presidential election – of viewing 9/11 terrorists as criminals in need of therapeutic help rather than as terrorists. According to Rove, these Democrats ran an ad that "implored the powers that be to use moderation and restraint in responding to the terrorist attacks against the United States."

I do not regret having endorsed the re-election of President George W. Bush, because as I said at the time, the Democrats and their candidate, John Kerry, don't have the stomach to take on worldwide terrorism. Some Democratic observers, following the presidential election, concluded that the Democratic Party lost because it did not convince the American voters it would provide the national security that Bush & Co. would provide.

Why was that? Primarily because Howard Dean and John Kerry convinced the American public they did not view the jhiadists and Islamic terrorists worldwide as the single greatest threat to our liberty, government and civilization. I know there are Democratic leaders who do, but they don't predominate in the leadership of our party.

Howard Dean was overwhelmingly selected as the national chairman after the election debacle that he helped create. He is continuing to act and speak in that mode. Ted Kennedy still dominates the headlines as a major party spokesman.

Durbin's Comments

While I don't believe we should shut down Guantanamo Bay prison, in which we hold some of the alleged terrorists apprehended in Afghanistan and Iraq, I do believe we have engaged in unlawful interrogation tactics there. I also believe those who have violated the law in their interrogation practices should be identified, apprehended and tried. I believe Senator Dick Durbin's description of some of the interrogation practices, likening them to the acts of "Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime – Pol Pat or others – that had no concern for human beings," is accurate, to the extent unlawful practices have occurred.

Anthony Lewis in The New York Times provided an example of the barbarism practiced: "F.B.I. agents, reporting earlier on the treatment of Mr. Kahtani, said a dog was used ‘in an aggressive manner to intimidate' him. At one point, according to the log, Mr. Kahtani's interrogator told him that he needed to learn, like a dog, to show respect: ‘Began teaching detainee lessons such as stay, come and bark to elevate his social status to that of a dog. Detainee became very agitated.'"

This is what Senator Durbin was referring to – the cruel and illegal acts of a particular American interrogator. To report this atrocity and describe it as Durbin did is an heroic American act for which he should be commended, not criticized. Durbin at first declined to apologize and reversed himself only after the mayor of Chicago, Dick Daley, who is a great mayor and a friend of mine, demanded that he do so.

Durbin erred in not making it clear all of those he named – Nazis, Soviets and Pol Pot – had killed millions of people in their assaults upon international law. A huge quantitative difference.

Anti-Semitism in Congressional Hearing

Last week, enemies of Israel and the Jews took nearly 30 members of Congress to the cleaners by turning an ad hoc hearing chaired by Congressman John Conyers into a circus, blaming Israel for the war in Iraq. At the hearing, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern was asked by Congressman Jim Moran, a confirmed Israel-basher, "What was the real motivation, in your mind, for why we did go to war in Iraq?"

McGovern stated, according to an article by Eric Fettmann in the New York Post: "I use the acronym OIL. O for oil, I for Israel and L for the logistical base necessary or deemed necessary by the so-called neocons – and it reeks through all their documents – the logistical base whereby the United States and Israel could dominate that area of the world. It's a very strategically important area of the world, mostly because it has oil, but also because Israel, which is traditionally described as our ally – and I don't know of any alliance we had with Israel – has been very influential in our policy."

While this was all happening at the Capital, Eric Fettmann reported in his column, "at Democratic headquarters, activists handed out documents containing accusations that Israel was behind the 9/11 attacks."

Among the 30 congressmen who attended the hearing were Jerry Nadler, John Conyers, Charlie Rangel and Greg Meeks. Fettmann wrote, "The reaction of the House Democrats – some 30 in all, by that point – to McGovern's tirade? Silence, the transcript shows."

I wrote to all 30 congressmen. Nadler called and said he was not present in the room when McGovern testified. Barney Frank wrote he was not present and both have denounced McGovern's remarks and the obvious anti-Semitism involved. Conyers condemned the anti-Semitism. I have no doubt they were as appalled as I am.

Flag Desecration

Dear Reader: Why are The New York Times and Senator Ted Kennedy so opposed to making it a federal crime to intentionally desecrate the U.S. flag? For more than 200 years, that was the law of the land. In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court held by a vote of 5 to 4 that desecrating the flag was protected by the First Amendment as a form of free speech. The only way to overcome that Supreme Court decision is by the adoption of a constitutional amendment, which would let the people decide. If there is a vote, I will vote to restore what had been the law.

Iraq Exit Strategy

Over the weekend, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld estimated how long the insurrection in Iraq will go on. According to The New York Times, he "echoed remarks by his advisers in recent months suggesting that the insurgency could last as long as a dozen years and that Iraq would become more violent before elections later this year."

The American public will not tolerate the possibility of providing basically alone the cannon fodder – in this case, victims for explosive devices used by the terrorists and insurrectionists – for another two or three presidential terms.

Rumsfeld's statement reinforces the need for my call for getting out by the end of this year unless the U.N. Security Council nations, including France, Germany and Russia and Iraq's regional neighbors, provide in equitable proportion troops on the ground. Otherwise, the U.S. should provide the Iraqi army with all necessary weaponry and let it defend itself.

Extrapolating the current casualty rate of 75 American soldiers killed each month, which may become more costly, the Syrian border being near totally unsecured from foreign fighters, the American deaths each year would be 900 and at the end of 12 years would be 10,800. My exit strategy makes sense and is far less costly in American casualties than any proposal offered by anyone else. (See: Time to Share the Burden in Iraq.)

Edward I. Koch, author, lawyer and talk radio host, was a member of the U.S. Congress and, for 12 years, the 105th mayor of New York City.

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