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Frank ‘I’m A Member Of Dick Cheney’s Fan Club’ Gaffney: Obama’s ‘Respect’ For Muslims Is Code For Submission

The right wing has been apoplectic over President Obama’s words and actions while in Europe. A large amount of their outrage has been over the fact that Obama briefly bowed to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

Today on MSNBC, right-wing commentator Frank Gaffney joined in, boldly declaring, “I’m a member of Dick Cheney’s fan club,” alluding to the former vice president’s comments that Obama is making Americans less safe. Gaffney said that today, for example, Obama told our “Muslim enemies” that the United States is “willing to submit to them.”

When asked by MSNBC host David Shuster and Mother Jones’s David Corn for proof of this supposed submission, Gaffney pointed to a secret “code” Obama is using — which apparently only he, al Qaeda, the Saudis, and the Taliban understand:

CORN: Where in that speech does he say we’re going to submit to anybody?

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GAFFNEY: I think what he is using is code — … When he uses the word “respect,” in the context of a waist-bow to the king of Saudi Arabia, for example, and talks about respectful language, which is code for those who adhere to Sharia that we will submit to Sharia. We will submit to the kind of program —

SHUSTER: We have to know the code? We all have to know the code to understand how we’re making ourselves more vulnerable? … David Corn was asking you for a specific example, and you’re referring to code. You’re referring to code!

GAFFNEY: I’m telling you the code as they receive it in the Taliban headquarters and in al Qaeda’s cave and in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They perceive this as submission.

Watch it:

The “respectful language” that most likely galled Gaffney was from Obama’s speech to the Turkish parliament today:

Now, I have made it clear to the people and leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran that the United States seeks engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect. We want Iran to play its rightful role in the community of nations. Iran is a great civilization. We want them to engage in the economic and political integration that brings prosperity and security. But Iran’s leaders must choose whether they will try to build a weapon or build a better future for their people.

Apparently, the American public also doesn’t know this secret “code.” A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that 82 percent believe that it is important for Obama “to try to improve U.S. relations with Muslim nations.” Additionally, two-thirds believe Obama will handle this diplomatic outreach “about right.”

Transcript:

SHUSTER: Frank, if you were follow Newt Gingrich’s logic advice, launch a pre-emptive attack on North Korea, take out this missile launch — which of course didn’t work — but take it out. North Korea would likely then respond against South Korea. The Chinese, of course, would likely then help North Korea, and all of a sudden we have tensions between the United States and China in the midst of all this. How does that make America safer?

GAFFNEY: You would have to ask Newt Gingrich or Ash Carter or Bill Perry that question, rather than me, because I’m not sure that it would.

Let me just say: I’m a member of Dick Cheney’s fan club. I think he’s absolutely right that when you yes, have wonderful road shows that encourage all kinds of acclaim from people by telling them what they want to hear — whether it’s European friends that you’re a transnationalist just like they are, or our Muslim enemies that you are willing to submit to them, which is the kind of ground-breaking that was done today.

This is not going to make us safer. It is going to make the world a more dangerous place when you alienate your friends and you embolden your enemies, and that’s what Barack Obama is doing.

CORN: You’ve got to stick to facts here.

GAFFNEY: I am.

CORN: Where in that speech does he say we’re going to submit to anybody?

GAFFNEY: I think what he is using is code —

CORN: No, no. I’m asking a very specific question.

GAFFNEY: I’m answering your question.

CORN: Ok. Where did he say he’ll submit?

GAFFNEY: When he uses the word “respect,” in the context of a waist-bow to the king of Saudi Arabia, for example, and talks about respectful language, which is code for those who adhere to Sharia that we will submit to Sharia. We will submit to the kind of program —

SHUSTER: We have to know the code? We all have to know the code to understand how we’re making ourselves more vulnerable?

GAFFNEY: You should. You should know the code. If you don’t (CROSSTALK) —

SHUSTER: But David Corn was asking you for a specific example, and you’re referring to code. You’re referring to code!

GAFFNEY: I’m telling you the code as they receive it in the Taliban headquarters and in al Qaeda’s cave and in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They perceive this as submission.

SHUSTER: Frank, do you really think after this trip, after Obama is there having sending more troops to Afghanistan — rightly or wrongly — asking NATO to do more, that the message the Taliban is receiving that the United States will submit to the Taliban?

GAFFNEY: To answer your question, when Bob Gates said — as he did about a month and a half ago — we would be happy to have the SWAT valley deal that has Taliban applying Sharia in Pakistan apply to Afghanistan, it doesn’t matter how many troops we throw there. By the way, David, you’re not going to support this Afghanistan operation anyway. Let’s be clear. We’re throwing in the towel in Afghanistan. Not holding up the hopes of the Afghan people.

CORN: I think you’re trying really hard here to put words in the President’s mouth. If respect to you means submission, I won’t get into (CROSSTALK) —

GAFFNEY: That’s how they perceive it.

SHUSTER: The big problem here is it’s all because of you and your friends, David. It’s because of you and your liberal friends that we’re in this mess.

GAFFNEY: Not entirely.