3 weeks ago
4/21: CBS Weekend News
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape accused Joe Biden of disparaging nan South Pacific land federation by implying that an uncle of nan U.S. president had been eaten by "cannibals" location during World War II.
Biden's comments offended a cardinal strategical state arsenic China moves to summation its influence successful nan region.
The president said astatine a Pennsylvania warfare memorial past week astir his Army Air Corps aviator uncle Second Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., whom he said was changeable down complete Papua New Guinea, which was a theater of dense fighting.
"They ne'er recovered nan assemblage because location utilized to beryllium — location were a batch of cannibals for existent successful that portion of New Guinea," Biden said, referring to nan country's main island.
Marape said successful a connection connected Sunday that Biden "appeared to connote his uncle was eaten by cannibals."
"President Biden's remarks whitethorn person been a gaffe of nan tongue; however, my state does not merit to beryllium branded arsenic such," Marape said successful a connection provided by his agency to The Associated Press connected Monday.
"World War II was not nan doing of my people; however, they were needlessly dragged into a conflict that was not their doing," Marape added.
The rift comes arsenic Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese began a sojourn connected Monday to Papua New Guinea, Australia's nearest neighbor. Albanese and Marape will commemorate beardown defense ties betwixt nan 2 countries by stepping portion of a pivotal conflict crushed known arsenic nan Kokoda Track later this week.
"I'm very assured that PNG has nary stronger partner than Australia and our defense and information ties person ne'er been stronger," Albanese told reporters earlier departing Australia.
White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday Biden was speaking to nan bravery of his uncle and nan galore U.S. work members that put their lives connected nan line.
"He takes this very seriously. His uncle, who served and protected this country, mislaid his life serving. And that should matter," she said.
Biden's relationship that Finnegan's level was changeable down was not supported by subject records. Finnegan was a rider connected a Douglas A-20 Havoc carrier level that collapsed into nan water aft some engines grounded connected May 14, 1944, according to a Pentagon report.
One unit personnel survived but nary trace was recovered of nan level aliases 3 different group connected board, including Finnegan.
Marape's connection was released connected nan aforesaid time he met China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi successful Port Moresby to talk building person relations.
Marape besides called connected nan U.S. to find its warfare dead successful Papua New Guinea's jungles and to cleanable up nan wreckage of war.
"The remains of WWII dishonesty scattered each complete PNG, including nan level that carried President Biden's uncle," Marape said.
"Perhaps, fixed President Biden's comments and nan beardown guidance from PNG and different parts of nan world, it is clip for nan USA to find arsenic galore remains of World War II successful PNG arsenic possible, including those of servicemen who mislaid their lives for illustration Ambrose Finnegan," he said.
"The theaters of warfare successful PNG and Solomon Islands are many, and littered pinch nan remains of WWII including quality remains, level wrecks, vessel wrecks, tunnels and bombs. Our group regular unrecorded pinch nan fearfulness of being killed by detonated bombs of WWII," Marape added.
- In:
- Pennsylvania
- War
- Plane Crash
- Joe Biden
- Politics
