June 30, 2006

Ayaan Hirsi Ali Brings Down Dutch Government

Repeat after me: Do Not Screw With Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

From the Financial Times:

A dispute over the citizenship of Somali-born Ayaan Hirsi Ali brought down the Dutch government yesterday when D66, the junior member of the centre-right coalition, walked out after demanding the resignation of Rita Verdonk, the hard-line immigration minister. . . .

Six weeks ago Mrs Verdonk threatened to strip Ms Hirsi Ali of her citizenship because she gave a false name and age when she applied for asylum in the Netherlands in 1992. That meant her naturalisation five years later was unlawful, Mrs Verdonk said.

Ms Hirsi Ali resigned her seat with the VVD and brought forward the date of a planned departure to the US, where she has been offered a job with the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think-tank.

The affair caused international outrage. The Dutch were branded intolerant and the government was accused of expelling Ms Hirsi Ali.

Again, repeat after me: Do Not Screw With Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

By Ragnar Danneskjold, Typical Bitter Gun-Clinger at 03:23 AM | |