Press Releases

Oct 22, 2008 — Udall: U.S. Helped Fuel Rage for 9/11

For Immediate Release:

October 22, 2008

BOULDER LIBERAL UDALL SAID AMERICA “HELPED TO FUEL RAGE AND DESPAIR” FOLLOWING 9-11 ATTACKS

Udall opposed Afghanistan war while in Boulder in 2001,

says he now supports it

ENGLEWOOD – Just days following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Boulder Liberal Mark Udall said America “helped to fuel rage and despair in other parts of the world.”

“Boulder Liberal Mark Udall’s troubling comments about America fueling ‘rage and despair’ in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks provide a unique insight into how he views America’s role in the world,” said Bob Schaffer for Senate campaign manager Dick Wadhams. 

The Denver Post reported on September 20, 2001 that during a visit to Boulder High School, Boulder Liberal Udall seemed to agree with a student who said “U.S. foreign policy is not guiltless.”  The Denver Post story said that “Udall seemed to share the students’ concerns.”

“We should acknowledge that we’ve helped to fuel rage and despair in other parts of the world,” the Denver Post quotes “Boulder Democrat Udall” as saying in response to the student’s observation.  “And our war is not with the Afghan people.  I’m not convinced that sending ground troops to Afghanistan makes sense.”

Boulder Liberal Udall has repeatedly said during the campaign he supports the war in Afghanistan.

“As the only Colorado congressional member to sponsor a bill to create a ‘Department of Peace’ this revelation that Boulder Liberal Udall thinks America ‘helped to fuel rage and despair in other parts of the world’ should come as no surprise,” said Wadhams.

The full story from the Denver Post on September 20, 2001 is below:

The Denver Post
September 20, 2001 Thursday 1ST EDITION

Students share their concerns with Udall

BYLINE: By Ryan Morgan, Special to The Denver Post,
SECTION: A SECTION; Pg. A-19
LENGTH: 306 words

BOULDER - With a U.S. military attack imminent, high school  students here worried Wednesday about protecting civil liberties  at home and avoiding a long, protracted conflict that could kill  thousands of civilians abroad.

'Everywhere war is in the air,' said Carly Knudson, a junior  at Boulder High School.

'How can we be sure that we won't go to  Afghanistan, to their civilians, and commit 20 times what happened  to our country?'

Knudson and 100 other students at Boulder High School  gathered to share their concerns with U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, who  spoke with students from three history classes Wednesday morning.

Many students questioned the United States' past military  policies, noting the government trained and financed Islamic  fundamentalists in Afghanistan during the Cold War.

'U.S. foreign policy is not guiltless,' said junior Keely  Rew. 'Saying it's 'good vs. evil' is just propaganda.'

For the most part, Udall seemed to share students' concerns.

'We should acknowledge that we've helped to fuel rage and  despair in other parts of the world,' the Boulder Democrat said.  And 'our war is not with the Afghan people,' he said. 'I'm not  convinced that sending ground troops to Afghanistan makes sense.'

Students also peppered Udall with questions about how  America's response to the terrorist attacks could constrict civil  liberties.

'I heard that they're going to loosen restrictions on  wiretapping,' sophomore Tyler Mangin said. 'And that doesn't sound  like a good idea to me.'

To the students who worried about Arab-Americans facing  measures similar to those imposed on Japanese-Americans at the  beginning of World War II, Udall said: 'That mistake (internment)  was enormous. We need to realize that our diversity is our strength.'