Count us among those baffled by how a former Taliban diplomat could now be a non-degree special student at Yale University. Some professors and students argue that Sayed Rahmatullah Hashemi, who hopes to attain degree status by this summer, brings a valuable life experience and viewpoint to the campus. Perhaps, but the same could be said of lots of the terrorist suspects the United States has swept up and held since Sept. 11. Even Hashemi told The New York Times, “I could have ended up in Guantanamo Bay. Instead I ended up at Yale.” The university is taking a lot of flak — not surprisingly, given how raw Americans’ nerves are about port security and all the rest. But the real question is what entitles someone with such a background to a student visa at all.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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19 Comments
Because appearently we are only at war with terrorism on the T.V. Lemings…this way to the cliff!
And, of course, this is directly GW’s fault? He allowed this to happen?
I would think the fault here lies more with Yale than the fact that it is Bush’s alma mater.
Did I miss something…or isn’t it Al Gore’s alma mater as well?
I’m glad we were reminded that Yale is GW’s alma mater! I’m sure that GW had knowledge of this man’s intentions and chose to ignore tehm to take attention away from the DPW deal.
OK, why isn’t this being touted as a hate crime, or terrorist attack? Or, maybe this man was an insurgent. This might be the start of another civil war!
Oh, that’s right, hate crimes can only be committed by white men on blacks! We need to try and understand this man! Maybe he was just upset by Algore’s recent speech in Saudi Arabia.
Hank
Mixed feelings – exactly what was his status with the government in Afghanistan? Many Germans became important allies after WW2. Is that the case here?
Right on cue, the Bush boot-licks start with their grasping at straws rather than admit the obvious, Bush is an idiot.
1. The State department, part of the federal gov’t which Bush oversees last time I checked, has to approve the applications of all international students to US colleges. It’s hurt our enrollment of internationals terribly BTW, and education is one of the few areas that we run a trade surplus rather than deficit, or at least, it was . . .
2. Hank, did your post have anything to do with a Taliban official walking around free as a bird in the United States?
Your labored defense of the indefensible is causing you to come unhinged.
3. Regarding this guy studying at Yale, I have no comment. It’s just getting too easy to criticise the Bush administration’s duplicity and incompetence. No comment is needed.
Spin on, right-wingers, spin on. No one is buying it anymore . . .
Ok, Lib….where is the spin in asking if GW had a personal hand in this? Are you saying he personally approved this garbage?
My initial take is that Yale has lots of alums, and yet the headline only mentiones GW as if he personally signed the docs to make this possible. Editorial headline, maybe?
No bootlicking here, was asking questions. But, I am curious about “spin”, Lib. You are spinning..out of control..again.
Of course, Bush didn’t personally sign the forms to let the guy in.
But he oversees the government that sets policy.
What kind of policy lets a former Taliban official walk around in the US indefinitely on a student visa?
A bad one.
Bad policy from a bad president.
In defense of Rhonda: 1) she most likely did not come up with the headline – they have “specialists” for that job; 2) the headline was meant to state a contrast, rather than assign blame. It would be like “Once a Nazi, now member of Jewish Defense League”.
I think Bush apologists are getting a little too sensitive these days.
… and maybe Bush bashers, too.
Read the entire NY Times article about this guy, and you may well decide that he belongs at Yale.We must get beyond sound bites and senationalism.
These foreigners sure know how to show their negritude!
By Steve Hartsoe
“AP) A University of North Carolina graduate accused of running down nine people on campus told an emergency dispatcher he wanted to “punish the government of the United States for their actions around the world,” according to a 911 recording released Monday.
Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, a 22-year-old native of Iran, called 911 to surrender Friday a few minutes after a sport utility vehicle sent students scurrying to escape. No one was seriously hurt.
Taheri-azar was later charged with nine counts of attempted murder and nine counts of assault, and his bail was set at $5.5 million…”http://www.nationalvanguard.org/story.php?id=8183
V.L.R.B!!
Sounds like another one of Ed’s arab heroes.
Well I don’t understand Yales interest in this guy who reportedly has a fourth grade education. I did not immediately suspect bush.
BUT. I kept thinking I recognized this guy, particularly after I heard his voice. I came here tonight to post my suspicion that this guy was featured in Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 911 and ask if anyone could verify that.
Literally two minutes ago as I am typing this post, Joe Scarbourough verified that I was right! This is the guy from Fahrenheit911.
For those who would not see that film, this representative of the Taliban was relevant to Moore’s movie in that Moore was documenting visits by this man and a Taliban delegation to…..
Texas. Which was at that time governed by…..
George Bush.
And now this former spokesman for the Taliban (check out his appearance in F911 in which he scolds a a wman reporter, telling her ” I think your husband must a very difficult time with you”)
is attending with absoltely NO academic qualifications, the alma mater of…..
George bush
Hmmmmmmmmm
The guy is a non-White with the equivilent of a fourth grade education? It sound like affirmative action to me!
I wonder how all the jews at Yale are taking to him?rotflmosrfao
V.L.R.B!!
I give a rat’s @ss about Bush’s alma mater. If this guy was Taliban, why isn’t he in chains?
Maybe he’ll run for Kansas AG as an independent. Everybody would know he’s a stealth republican. Wouldn’t be much different from what we have now. Or maybe he could run for a position on KBOE. We could have a rule that all those high school hotties would have to wear Burkas.
I guess in Kansas, that’s probably not funny.
I saw that the guy was featured in Farenheight 911, seems he was Washington’s guest, and was trying to improve the Taliban’s national image. Guess that’s why it’s GWB’s Alma Mater.
What’s this guy doing still breathing??
I am an international student and can share a bit on what that entitles regarding government agencies.
As an international student you are to pass intense scrutiny from INS. You have to justify your intentions and degree progress every time you come into the country. In order to obtain a student visa you are examined as well at the American Embassy in your foreign country. It is pretty stressful. The international office’s personel at universities keep you on your toes by telling you that if you do something “illegal”,like working so you can eat, you might get in trouble and even deported.
Bottom line, it is a pain. One time a Dean of Students even suggested that he was not sure if I was terrorist, no joke. And by the way, nothing in profile ties me to Islam or the Middle East.
This guy got admitted for “unclear” reasons that are invisible to the public. Maybe he cooperated with the US. Maybe the pertinent US agencies and current administration simply like him because he is such a “nice guy”.