Republican leaders condemn Trump over Khan controversy

New York, August 2: The last few hours have left the Republicans red in the face as their presidential nominee Donald Trump invited sharp criticism to his repeated insensitive attacks on a Muslim couple, parents of a decorated American soldier killed in the Iraqi war.

The embarrassing turn of events started when Mr Khan and his wife, Ghazala, appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia to speak about their son’s sacrifice.

The couple, Khizr and Ghazala Khan lost their son US Army Capt Humayun Khan when was killed by a car bomb during the Iraq war in 2004. Mr Khan said his son would not have been in America if it had been up to Mr Trump, who has called for a ban on Muslims from entering the US.

Mr Trump in an interview went on to suggest that Mrs Khan may have not been allowed to speak, implying that her silence was perhaps due to restrictions placed on women by her religion. The statement sparked a backlash as Mr Khan shot back that Mr Trump could not insult women, judges and even members of his own party, while Mrs Khan said that Trump was ignorant about Islam and did not know the meaning of the word sacrifice.

The chorus of condemnation first began within the Republicans as Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war, said Trump did not have “unfettered license to defame those who are the best among us.”

Ohio Governor John Kasich in response to the episode tweeted that “There’s only one way to talk about Gold Star parents: with honour and respect.”

Democratic President Barack Obama also came out in support of the family and said of those who have lost family members in the military service: “No one has given more to our freedom and our security than our Gold Star families…. They represent the very best of our country.”