US: Former Presidents condemn Capitol violence, blame Republicans, Trump

 THE Wednesday violence by mob, who stormed the Capitol building in Washington, leaving four dead and several injured has been condemned by all former US Presidents alive.

The mob, which identified as supporters of President Donald Trump, besieged the Capitol building where Congress, to certify Joe Biden’s presidential election win in November, was ongoing.

“I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions and our law enforcement,” George Bush said, where he compared the anomaly to a “banana republic” and blasted Republicans for fuelling the “nsurrection “.

Ex-President Barack Obama called the incident “a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation,” blaming Republicans and Trump, “who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election,” he said.

“But we’d be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise,” he said.

The former president further said the violence was “the consequences” of Trump and his supporters, who have refused to accept the election’s results.

Former President and husband to former US Democratic Presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, denounced the riot, calling it an “unprecedented assault” on the US Capitol and the nation

“Today we faced an unprecedented assault on our Capitol, our Constitution, and our country,” he stated.

“The match was lit by Donald Trump and his most ardent enablers, including many in Congress, to overturn the results of an election he lost.”

96-year-old Democrat and the oldest former US President, Jimmy Carter, said he was “troubled” by the event of Wednesday, calling it a “national tragedy.”

“We join our fellow citizens in praying for a peaceful resolution so our nation can heal and complete the transfer of power as we have for more than two centuries,” Carter said.

(AFP)