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* UPDATED x1 - Maybe not * I think Duckworth won this round

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* Mark Kirk campaign oppo…

Duckworth Says She Has Confidence In America’s Vetting Process

Duckworth Said She Has Confidence Our Security Can Properly Vet Syrian Refugees Entering The United States. But U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Schaumburg, said at a separate event that the country needs to “have confidence in our intelligence services” and not put up walls. “Our nation is better than that,” Duckworth said, underlining her support for a measure to allow up to 200,000 refugees from the war-plagued country in the U.S. (Greg Hinz, “Stark political split opens up on Syrian refugees,” Crain’s Chicago Business, 11/16/15)

In A Press Conference Tammy Duckworth Said She Was “Confident” US Can Filter Terrorists. “.@RepDuckworth “confident” US intelligence can filter terrorists from Syrian refugees.” (Charles Thomas Twitter Feed, 11/16/15)

But In 2014 She Said She Did Not Trust The Vetting Process

VIDEO: In 2014, Duckworth Said She Was Not Comfortable With The Vetting Process When It Comes To Syrian Rebels. DUCKWORTH: “I can’t trust the Syrian rebels, Kate. We don’t know who they are. I’m not comfortable with the vetting process, and I don’t know how long this commitment is.” (CNN, 9/17/14)

* Initial Duckworth campaign response…

More of the same fear-mongering from Mark Kirk. Incredibly dishonest and disingenuous.

She’s explicitly referring to the plan to arm Syrian rebels - in Syria - a program, by the way, she was right about and has since been suspended.

We’re talking now about refugees who are attempting to flee the awful effects of the Syrian civil war. This isn’t even apples to oranges, it’s apples to bowling balls, and they should be ashamed for trying to blur the difference on a crucial matter of national security.

* And then came the roundhouse from Team Duckworth…

It is an apples to oranges comparison. They are completely different processes. The refugee process is 18-24 months while they were handing out weapons to Syria rebels like candy.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/09/politics/us-syria-rebels-arms-program-suspended/

The flip of this is Kirk supports the vetting process of giving guns to Syria rebels but not the vetting of orphans and widows. This vote was less 18 months ago

Kirk Voted To Train And Equip “Appropriately Vetted” Syrian Forces To Fight ISIS. “Durbin was explaining why he would be voting for a measure, to run through Dec. 11, to train and equip ‘appropriately vetted’ Syrian forces to battle the Islamic State group - also called ISIS or ISIL - and temporarily fund the federal government. A day after the House approved similar legislation, the Senate concurred 73-22 on a bipartisan roll call, with Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., also voting yes. […] Earlier in the day, after Durbin said he would vote for the measure - which did not specifically authorize a war against ISIL - I asked him about his decision. […] Kirk told me he also wants an authorization vote. And if the Obama White House called him, Kirk said, ‘I could offer some very good guidance to build bipartisan support for the military mission in Iraq.’” [Chicago Sun-Times, 9/19/14]

I’ll let you know if the Kirk campaign responds.

*** UPDATE *** The Kirk response is good…

The simple truth is that Rep. Duckworth has expressed confidence in a vetting process that is not shared by either the Director of the FBI, the Director of National Intelligence nor the Director of the National Counter Terrorism Center. Moreover, Rep. Duckworth seeks to let in 200,000 refugees over the next 13 months–that’s twenty times more than the administration is requesting–utilizing a vetting system that has failed before.

ABC News Headline: Terrorists Once Used Refugee Program to Settle in US. (James Gordon Meek And Brian Ross, “Terrorists Once Used Refugee Program To Settle In US,” ABC News, 11/18/15)

Two Men Who Had Used A Refugee Program Turned Out To Be Al-Qaeda Linked Terrorists. Of the 31 states that have declared their opposition to taking in Syrian refugees, one state, Kentucky, has a specific reason to be wary of the background check process: previously two Iraqi refugees who settled in Bowling Green turned out to be al Qaeda-linked terrorists with the blood of American soldiers on their hands, an ABC News investigation found. Both pleaded guilty to terror-connected charges after trying to acquire heavy weapons while in America’s heartland. (James Gordon Meek And Brian Ross, “Terrorists Once Used Refugee Program To Settle In US,” ABC News, 11/18/15)

Other Suspected Terrorists Had Been Let Into The Country Posing As War Refugees From Afghanistan. The 2013 ABC News investigation also revealed that several dozen other suspected terrorist bombmakers, including some who were believed to have targeted U.S. troops, may have mistakenly been allowed to move to the U.S. as Iraq and Afghanistan War refugees, among the tens of thousands of innocent immigrants. (James Gordon Meek And Brian Ross, “Terrorists Once Used Refugee Program To Settle In US,” ABC News, 11/18/15)

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 4:47 pm

Comments

Incredible dishonesty from the Kirk campaign.

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 4:51 pm
PC- you said “Kirk campaign.” There was no need to add “incredible dishonesty.” It was superfluous. /s

Comment by Keyrock Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 4:54 pm
How did that happen?

No one understood the difference between “refugee” and “rebel?” That release went through channels, was signed off on and went out the door?

And Kirk’s the military/foreign policy guy?

That’s a sign of internal FUBAR.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:00 pm
Walked into this one.

Ugh.

Gotta know where your incumbent has been, especially less than two years ago.

Not good.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:02 pm
Touché.

Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:22 pm
His stroke has nothing to do with it. He’s just Kirk.

Comment by JackD Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:25 pm
To the Update,

That’s how you respond.

Good bounce back. Simple, to the point, and “on point”.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:38 pm
That “orphans and widows” line still holds up.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:45 pm
Wow! Clearly America can handle the suspected and/or confirmed terrorist linked people as in identified in Kirk response. Rather like proving your own error!

Gee, so what’s the problem! Other than GOP fear mongering!

Comment by IL17Progressive Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:47 pm
The update speaks for itself. The anti-Kirk comments before the update are clearly misguided.

I’m not a fan of keeping out any immigrants, but in this case, a temporary pause while everyone figures out how to check them out is something any country has the right to do. Local police will have to deal first with any terrorist crisis, so the concerns of locals should be heard by the White House, not dismissed.

Duckworth isn’t going to out foreign policy Kirk. It shows right here.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:48 pm
- @MisterJayEm -

Yeah, that still is out there, but the response tries to frame it back to the processes.

I think they’re trying to bring it back to that specific point to help in the rehabbing.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:51 pm
… and it’s good.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:52 pm
Scratch that.

The only “simple truth” about the Middle East is that there are no simple truths.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 6:17 pm
+1 kirk

Comment by Cousin Vinny Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 6:46 pm
I mean, no one “won” this exchange ’cause these things don’t move votes, but Kirk pivoting back to “BOO!” isn’t really that impressive.

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:16 pm
Time to ban the term, “fear mongering”. It is insulting to claim that concerned citizens have no reason to be concerned over an issue that effects them strongly.

Is it “fear mongering” for the President to bring up every gun incident or violence to push for more regulations?

Is it “fear mongering” for us to discuss increasing our military budgets?

It is a rude attempt to delegitimize a group of concerned citizens and it needs to be banned, in my opinion.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 7:26 am
Plain and simple, I am tired of Kirk, the way Illinois was tired of Quinn…

Comment by Ben Franklin Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 7:27 am
The lack of confidence in government is a reflection of your public service looking for an enemy

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 7:39 am
Fear mongering is what it is, VanillaMan !
I mostly agree with you postings and ideas, but to try to soft or cover up by using a different name is irresponsible.

Yes, I have concern but that does not block me from being welcoming. My concern will cause me to ’study up’, to learn, to understand, to become acquainted, to get to know the refugees (if possible).

The GOP and governor’s actions are FEAR MONGERING and designed to cause stress and panic among others. NO WHERE in any GOP messaging have I seen methods to ‘get over the fear’ except the fear mongerer’s method of exclusion or internment far from them. The GOP message has the easy ‘get out free’ of saying the established methods are “not perfect for me”. The way one gets past fear is TO LEARN. Nothing the GOP governors, or GOP local, or GOP federal individuals identifies any desire to learn!

Comment by IL17Progressive Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 2:47 pm