Rep. Ilhan Omar defended her double standard in supporting sanctions against Israel but condemned any against Iran.
The Minnesota Democrat was challenged Thursday after she proclaimed that President Trump’s announcement of new “punishing” sanctions against the world’s “largest state sponsor of terror” just made “no sense.”
“Sanctions are economic warfare,” Omar tweeted Wednesday following Trump’s address to the nation following Iran’s attack on U.S. military bases in Iraq.
“They have already caused medical shortages and countless deaths in Iran,” she added as if the decisions by the U.S. government and not Iran’s own corrupt regime are directly responsible for the conditions in the country that was handed billions of dollars – in cash – by the Obama administration.
This makes no sense. Sanctions are economic warfare.
They have already caused medical shortages and countless deaths in Iran.
You cannot claim to want deescalation and then announce new sanctions with no clear goal. This is not a measured response! https://t.co/sGWtwXuNDT
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 8, 2020
The Somali refugee-turned U.S. citizen apparently needed some schooling on the issue.
Ilhan Omar. Whose side r u on. You sound like a traitor to America. While supporting its enemy Iran. U oppose sanctions on Enemy Iran but support BDS sanctions on ally Israel. It’s time for u to be thrown off of every House Committee esp Foreign Affairs. https://t.co/0gzpXusrL8
— Morton Klein (@MortonAKlein7) January 9, 2020
If sanctions on Iran are “economic warfare,” doesn’t that mean the BDS campaign against Israel that Omar supports is “warfare” as well? https://t.co/XHJxngGq5l
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) January 8, 2020
She continued her argument during a press conference later Wednesday.
“First he canceled our best shot at avoiding armed conflict: the Iran nuclear deal,” Omar declared, speaking of the president. “Then he announced crippling sanctions to starve the innocent people of Iran.”
— samuel brown (@samuelb35575935) January 8, 2020
But the Muslim lawmaker and member of the “Squad” of Democratic freshmen in Congress was quickly called out for her hypocrisy on sanctions as critics pointed out that she supports the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement aimed against Israel. Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Omar’s Palestinian-American colleague, also supports the boycott movement.
Ilhan Omar has now decried sanctions on the Castros in Cuba, Maduro in Venezuela, and the Ayatollah in Iran.
At the same time, she’s the leading voice in Congress on sanctioning the Jewish people in the world’s only Jewish state.
Wonder why.
— Michael Ahrens (@michael_ahrens) January 8, 2020
After a round of criticism on social media for her tone-deaf condemnation of Trump, Omar was confronted by Townhall senior writer Julio Rosas outside Capitol Hill on Thursday.
“The BDS movement is a movement that is driven by the people,” Omar said, defending her position. “The sanctions on Iran are sanctions that are being placed to create maximum pressure by a government. That is very different.”
(Video: Twitter)
Her attempt to dismiss the critics only fueled the condemnation of her hypocrisy which came on the heels of the backlash she received from veterans who slammed Omar after she claimed that she’s “stricken with PTSD” because of recent Middle East events.
She came under heavy fire after being seen on camera giggling in the background while Democrat Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee spoke at a news conference about American service members who’ve died serving in Iraq.
Omar under fire for giggling through statement covering US war causalities, claims PTSD over Iran conflict https://t.co/0WJq63ZGY2
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) January 9, 2020
Her defense of the BDS sanctions as “different” from those imposed on Iran set off another wave of outrage on Twitter.
This excuse doesn’t even make sense. Government sanctions against places like Iran are tailored to target specific people or industries. BDS requires that people boycott anyone even tangentially related to Israel, including private businesses and individuals.
— (((AG))) (@AGHamilton29) January 9, 2020
Who makes foreign policy, the government or a overly loud gang of activists? Moreover, it’s the public who elect the government.
Plain to see, Omar’s views are not compatible with normal people.— Ed Smith (@EdSmith288) January 10, 2020
does she even understand what she said…? pic.twitter.com/yRRaDI5mbL
— mark r (@markr51749722) January 10, 2020
How are sanctions imposed by the people?
— 5..6..7..8..Pounce! (@OnPointe28) January 10, 2020
I guess she never visited the official website of BDS. pic.twitter.com/n31Jk3cqrI
— neontaster (@neontaster) January 10, 2020
“Divestment” and “sanctions” are inherently actions by institutions/governments and not regular people. That’s what the “boycott” is for.
— neontaster (@neontaster) January 10, 2020
This response makes no sense, as she doesn’t just support the “right” to engage in BDS, but she actively promotes the movement. Which means, by her own words, she wishes to inflict “medical shortages” and “countless deaths” on Israelis.
— Republican RePARTEE (@repub_repartee) January 10, 2020
That’s some hair-splitting
— Andy Genova (@AndyKGenova) January 10, 2020
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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