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PM - Galloway, Hitchens reunite for 'Grapple in the Apple'

VIEW VIDEO from Democracy NOW

PM - Thursday, 15 September , 2005 18:25:00
Reporter: Mark Colvin
MARK COLVIN: They billed it as The Grapple in the Apple, but it was intellectual mud-wrestling, rather than the real thing, when two of the most colourful British public speakers of the age met for a public debate in New York a few hours ago.

In the red corner, George Galloway, also known as Gorgeous George, the far-left British MP best known for telling Saddam Hussein, "Sir, I salute your courage, your strength, your indefatigability".

In the blue corner, Christopher Hitchens, the prolific left-wing writer and commentator who's now one of the strongest supporters of the toppling of Saddam Hussein, and who argues in every available forum that the Americans must stay the course in Iraq.

It was always expected to be vigorous. Last time they met, Mr Galloway called Mr Hitchens a drink-soaked former Trotskyist popinjay.

That was when George Galloway was testifying against the war to a United States Senate Subcommittee four months ago.

Our coverage begins with Christopher Hitchens' condemnation of George Galloway's Senate testimony.

CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS: I believe it is a disgrace that a member of the British House of Commons should go before the United States Senate Subcommittee, and not testify, but decline to testify, and to insult all those who try to ask him questions with the most vile and cheap gutter snipe abuse, I think that's a disgrace.

(sound of cheering and clapping)

It is not just a disgrace, it is a crime that Mr Gadafi has profited from the theft of money from the Iraqi oil for food program, has told continuous lies about his profiteering from it and the foul associates that he made at a time when Iraqi children were dying and 11 billion from this program – 11 billion – went to the murderer and criminal and sadist and fanatic Saddam Hussein.

How can anyone who's a business partner of this regime show their face at a city like this and not content with it, not content with it!

(sound of cheering and clapping)

Not content with it, he turns up in Damascus. The man searched for a tyrannical fatherland never ends! The Soviet Union's let him down, Albania's gone, the red army's out of Afghanistan and Czechoslovakia, the hunt persists! Saddam has been overthrown and his criminal connections with him have been exposed. Onto the next on the 30th of July in Damascus in Syria, appearing… I've given it all to you in a piece of paper, in front of Mr Assad, whose death squads are cutting down the leaders of democracy in Lebanon as this is going on to tell the Syrian people they're fortunate to have such a leader.

The slobbering dofan who they got because he's the son of the slobbering tyrant who came before him! How anyone with a tincture of socialist principle can actually speak in this way is beyond me, and I hope ladies and gentlemen, far beyond me and far beneath your contempt, thank you.

(sound of cheering and clapping and some booing)

ANNOUNCEMENT: George Galloway, your response.

GEORGE GALLOWAY: Well ah, ladies and gentlemen slobbering was the note that Mr Hitchens chose to end on, I'm not sure that was wise.

(sound of laughter from crowd)

CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS: Bring it on! Bring it on!

GEORGE GALLOWAY: But ah, I want to thank Mr Hitchens for the brave stand that he made against the war on Iraq in 1991. What you are… what you have witnessed since is something unique in natural history, the first ever metamorphosis from a butterfly back into a slug.

(sound of cheering and clapping)

And I mention slug purposely, because the one thing a slug does leave behind it is a trail of slime.

Now, I was brought up by my father on the principle never to wrestle with a chimney sweep, because whatever you do you can't come out clean.

But you, Mr Hitchens are no chimney sweep. That's not coal dust in which you are covered, you are covered in the stuff you like to smear onto others, not just me with your Gobellian leaflets full of selective quotation, half-truth, mistruth and downright untruth, and the comments you made in your last two minutes of this speech.

People like Mr Hitchens are ready to fight to the last drop of other people's blood, and it's utterly contemptible, utterly and completely contemptible.

MARK COLVIN: The British MP, George Galloway and a section of his debate held just a few hours ago with the Commentator, Christopher Hitchens.