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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: T L Comiskey who wrote (40538)	3/27/2004 7:42:26 AM
From: T L Comiskey	Respond to of 89467

GOP Survey Question on Terror Draws Ire Fri Mar 26, By GENARO C. ARMAS, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - A Republican voter survey used to raise political money identifies Thailand and the Philippines as countries that "harbor and aid terrorists," a description that has angered officials from the two nations. A question on the National Republican Congressional Committee's "Ask America 2004 Nationwide Policy Survey" asks, "Should America broaden the war on terrorism into other countries that harbor and aid terrorists such as Thailand, Syria, Somalia, the Philippines, etc.?" Accompanying the survey, which also poses questions about health care, the economy and other issues, was a four-page letter signed by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., which asks for a donation to help "keep the Republican Party in control of the U.S. House." Officials from both countries say they've been wrongly labeled and would contact the NRCC to complain. Both countries have been praised by the Bush administration for their roles in the anti-terror war. "For the Philippines to be described as a country harboring terrorism is an entirely different matter altogether," Patricia Paez, a spokeswoman for the Philippine Embassy in Washington, said Friday. "It doesn't accurately describe the view of the Bush administration." Chirachai Punkrasin, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, said he was surprised by the question. "In the war on terrorism, Thailand and the United States are on the same side," Punkrasin said. "I don't think we are knowingly harboring known terrorists." NRCC spokesman Carl Forti said the question was based on information from the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based nonpartisan think tank. "I think the question probably could have been vetted better," Forti said. The council's Sharon Otterman did not agree with the question's wording. She said the group's Web site identifies the Philippines as a "haven" for terrorism, "but it doesn't mean the state is helping the terrorist groups." The council did not identify Thailand as either a state sponsor or a haven for terrorism. The question was one of three on the subject of "the war on terrorism." It asks respondents to check "Yes", "No" or "No opinion." Syria has been identified by the State Department as a "state sponsor" of terrorism, while the U.S. government doesn't recognize a government in Somalia, which had been torn apart by civil unrest for years. The unstable situation there has elicited concern in recent years from Washington that it could attract international terrorists. Neither the Philippines nor Thailand is on the State Department's list of terror-sponsoring nations, and both have faced problems with Muslim extremist groups. In fact, a 2002 State Department report cited both countries for working closely with other nations in the global war on terror and for strengthening counterterrorist measures. Punkrasin cited the capture last year in Thailand of Hambali, the alleged operations chief of a Southeast Asian terror group linked to al-Qaida, as a sign of the Thai government's commitment against terrorism. Meanwhile, Paez noted that President Bush (news - web sites), during a trip to the Philippines last year, praised Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (news - web sites)'s anti-terror efforts. Her country has faced problems with the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf. Forti said the survey, in its third year, was mailed during the last three months and has been a successful fund-raising tool. It asks for a donation of up to $500 to "help pay for this historic project and help protect and strengthen the Republican majority of the U.S. House of Representatives."

To: T L Comiskey who wrote (40538)	3/27/2004 7:43:25 AM
From: T L Comiskey	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Ill. Candidate Wants No Divorce Questions Fri Mar 26, By MAURA KELLY, Associated Press Writer CHICAGO - Republican Senate candidate Jack Ryan on Friday asked his opponent and other Democrats to stop questioning sealed documents related to his divorce. Ryan's opponents have hinted that he was withholding some documents from his 1995 divorce from "Star Trek: Voyager" and "Boston Public" actress Jeri Ryan because they contained embarrassing information that could damage him in the general election. State Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate, has said he will not bring up the issue, but the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has distributed e-mails with copies of news stories that discuss the issue. "I think he's got to take it a step forward and say, 'Not only me, but none of the people who are supporting me will do it,'" Ryan said during a taping of WBBM-AM's "At Issue." Ryan says he has released everything except for documents pertaining to his 9-year-old son. Obama was not aware of people pushing the issue of Ryan's divorce, his spokesman Pam Smith said. "If there are people out there who believe that they are somehow helping him by raising this as an issue, they are not and they should stop," Smith said. A hearing is scheduled for Monday on the Chicago Tribune's attempt to open the sealed files.