DEAR PEGGY: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR peggy-north@monthlyherald.com
LEADER OF AL QAEDA IN SAUDI ARABIA IS STILL ALIVE. REALLY?
Photo:
Image from Al Arabiya television broadcast shows a montage of reputed leader
of Al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia Abdulaziz al-Moqrin, center, flanked by Rakan al-Sakhain,
left, and an alleged unidentified militant, right.
Dear Peggy A posting Saturday on an Islamic militant Web site denied the reputed leader of al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia was killed, saying such false claims are "aimed at dissuading the holy warriors and crushing their spirits." Abdulaziz Issa Abdul-Mohsin al-Moqrin, 31, was believed to be the leader of the group calling itself al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, which claimed responsibility for beheading American hostage Paul Johnson Jr. He was said to have been killed in a shootout after Johnson's body was dumped. The authenticity of the denial, appearing on an Internet forum where past statements and claims have been posted, could not be verified. The statement, which opened with a Quranic verse that urges believers to ensure the truth of information they receive, was similar in appearance and tone as past ones. "Some satellite networks and news agencies have been propagating the false news that Abdel Aziz al-Moqrin, God preserve him, has been killed," the statement said. "We would like to say that such claims, unleashed by the tyrants of Saudi Arabia, are aimed at dissuading the holy warriors and crushing their spirits." Peggy, you have something here to sink your teeth in. Phill Sokolov, Washington, DC, USA.
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY'S LESBIAN DAUGHTER
Dear Peggy: The Democrats are really disgusting. The Republicans are hypocrites. So where do we stand? A campaign to compel U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter to oppose a proposed ban on same-sex marriage is launching its first Internet ad Monday. A series of simply animated cartoon panels features stick figures of Mary Cheney and her father. One image reads: "Dick's daughter sold out to help Dick run again." The story line refers to Mary Cheney's job as director of vice-presidential operations for the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign. She held a public role as her father's assistant in the 2000 campaign and helped Republicans recruit homosexual voters during the 2002 midterm elections. She has been less visible this year while travelling with the vice-president or working at campaign headquarters in Arlington, Va. President George W. Bush, meanwhile, has disturbed many homosexuals, Republicans included, by asking Congress to move on a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in the United States. "They've clearly made the decision to keep her in the closet for this campaign," said John Aravosis, who in February launched the Web-based campaign www.DearMary.com, which started running the ad for free Friday. "They clearly understand the contradiction between having a lesbian run the vice-president's campaign at the same time they want to bash gays in the Constitution." Nicolle Devenish, communications director for the Bush campaign, called Mary Cheney "a tremendous asset to the campaign" and dismissed such tactics as going after a politician's offspring. "I think any group's actions are going to speak for themselves," she said. Devenish said Mary Cheney will become more visible as the election nears, though she would not comment whether the vice-president's daughter would be reaching out to gay voters or Republicans who oppose the amendment. Among sites running the ads are WashingtonPost.com, the satirical newspaper The Onion and several liberal Web blogs, Aravosis said. He said $23,000 has been raised to launch the ads, which could last a week or more depending on funding. But the majority of the costs - at least $50,000, he said - has been donated in services by an advertising firm and a Web advocacy firm that support the message. Jeff Rosenblum, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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