Debra Burlingame

Debra Burlingame, Divest terror, Iran

General Electric Is Doing Business With Iran

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I was on The O’Reilly Factor this past Thursday, along with Christopher Holton of the Center for Security Policy. General Electric is one the Pentagon’s top defense contractors, they make Apache attack helicopters and the engines for our F-16 fighter aircraft. You would think the revenue from that would be enough. But no. Let’s go build power plants, electrical systems, oil and gas projects in Iran for the guys driving the fast boats and the country harboring the insurgent training camps.

Here’s the transcript:

BILL O’REILLY, HOST: Now for the top story tonight, reaction to [charges General Electric is doing business with Iran]. Joining us from New Orleans is Christopher Holton, the vice president of the Center for Security Policy. Here in the studio is Debra Burlingame, co-founder of 9/11 Families for a Safe and Strong America. Ms. Burlingame’s brother perished on 9/11. So what say you, madam?

DEBRA BURLINGAME, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: Well, I’d say that GE has a problem. And it’s a problem that I’m glad you’re airing here for the country to know.

They say that they’re only fulfilling old contracts. That’s lawyer talk for yes, we’re still doing business in Iran. They’re trying to say that they’re not going to take up any new contracts, but lawyers know how to finesse that. The fact of the matter is they are defying U.S. sanctions by going around with a loophole, doing business with their foreign subsidiaries in countries like Syria and Iran.

O’REILLY: I think the American government knows this though. And you know, the State Department has not condemned them, the Bush administration has not condemned them. Other companies do it as well.

BURLINGAME: Well, there are some 35 companies that are doing it. And the SEC Office of Global Security Risk did inquire of GE in 2006, basically saying what are you doing, what’s your involvement, what’s the extent of your contracts? GE responded, I can summarize it for you by saying none of your business; we’re complying with law; and our focus is ensuring shareholder value. That’s a euphemism for we’re looking after GE’s profits. And on the street, that would be called blood money.

9/11, Debra Burlingame, Rudy Giuliani, September 11

Rudy Giuliani’s “September 11” campaign advertisement

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America was attacked on September 11. No one has sole ownership of 9/11, including my family because we lost someone.

Here is the text of Rudy Giuliani’s advertisement:

“Right before September 11 and months before I had read this book about the greatest generation written by Tom Brokaw and the book explains how brave, and how persistent, and how courageous the people were in the generation that won the Second World War.

“And during the day of September 11 living through the things that I saw and observed, immediately, when I saw people helping each other, I saw the picture of the firefighters putting the flag up, I said these are the children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren of the greatest generation. They have the same resolve, the same understanding.

“When you challenge Americans, there’s no country that stands up stronger and better than the United States of America. When you try and take something away from us like freedom, my goodness, Americans are going to be one in resisting you.

“So, the Islamic terrorists would make a terrible mistake if they confuse our democracy for weakness.

“Our democracy means we disagree with each other but when you come and try and take away from us our freedom, when you try and come here and kill our people, we’re one and we’re going to stand up to you and we’re going to prevail.”

Debra Burlingame adds:

“It’s perfectly legitimate for Giuliani to remind us of that day, and how the country responded and his role in it,” said Debra Burlingame, co-founder of 9/11 Families for a Safe and Strong America, and whose brother, Charles, was the pilot of the hijacked plane that crashed into the Pentagon.

“I was very moved by Giuliani’s great leadership on Sept. 11,” added Burlingame, who said the “silent majority” of families affected by the attacks are not Giuliani critics.

“He helped me get through that day. He helped rally the nation when we were on our knees.”