Huffington Thought Kurds Were 'Free' Under Saddam

Displaying blinding ignorance (perhaps the same ignorance what led her to fake George Clooney's blog entry at the Huffington Post) Arianna Huffington apparently thought that Iraqi Kurds were "free" under Saddam Hussein.

Huffington's remarks came last night on The O'Reilly Factor, after host Bill O'Reilly played a television spot from Iraqi Kurds thanking Americans for their liberation.

Transcript [emphasis added]:

O'REILLY: How do you react to that?

HUFFINGTON: I think it's sad. I want to know who's paying for it. I want to know who...

O'REILLY: The Kurdistan government is. You think it's propaganda?

HUFFINGTON: Of course it's propaganda.

O'REILLY: You don't think the Kurds are free because of us?

HUFFINGTON: I think the Kurds were free before we invaded Iraq. But how have the conditions of the Kurds changed since we invaded Iraq?

O'REILLY: All right. So you think that's a total -- that's a total lie?

HUFFINGTON: I think that spot is sad. It is sad to use people in the interests of promoting an agenda.

O'REILLY: Yes, but the Kurdistan -- the Kurdistan government...

HUFFINGTON: The Kurdistan -- the position -- the position of the Kurds has not changed one iota since we invaded Iraq. What has changed is the position of Americans, who are less safe because we invaded Iraq.

O'REILLY: All right. I don't -- I disagree with you. I think Saddam persecuted the Kurds. I think they have a free -- and -- so what?

HUFFINGTON: So what? Our job is not to go there and save the Kurds. Our job to keep Americans safe.

O'REILLY: All right. OK. So what, the Kurds are free.

This is reminiscent of then President Gerald Fords' incredible gaffe during a debate with Jimmy Carter, when he made the assertion that Poland, then suffering under Soviet domination, was "free".

This is how Kurds were "free" under Saddam: