US diplomats launch Bush attack

The BBC ^ | 4 May 2004 | Staff

[fdsa2]

Around 50 retired US diplomats have written to US President George Bush to complain about America's policy towards the Middle East. The letter is similar to one written by 52 former British diplomats to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair last week.

The former US diplomats complained that President Bush's approach is losing the US "credibility, prestige and friends".

They criticised what they say is Washington's unabashed support for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The American diplomats said they were deeply concerned by Mr Bush's endorsement last month of Mr Sharon's plan to withdraw unilaterally from Gaza.

'Great danger'

They were planning a press conference on Tuesday to go public with their opposition, according to the American Educational Trust (AET), a foundation where some of the former diplomats are based.

"Early responses are staggering," the AET said on Monday, adding "signatories are united by their belief that the US government is heading toward great danger."

"Our hope is that both political parties will take heed and listen to the voices of experienced diplomats," it said.

"Your unabashed support of Sharon's extra-judicial assassinations, Israel's Berlin-Wall-like barrier, its harsh military measures in occupied territories and now your endorsement of Sharon's unilateral plans are costing our country its credibility, prestige and friends," the letter warned.

We're not the good guys any more... We are viewed as hypocritical.

Former diplomat William Rogers

Israel says it has no choice but to kill militants planning to carry out suicide attacks, and that its West Bank barrier is for security only.

The signatories praised their British counterparts who went public over their concerns last month.

"We former diplomats applaud our 52 British colleagues who recently sent a letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair criticising his Middle East policy and calling on Britain to exert more influence over the United States," the US letter begins.

The organiser of the American missive, Andrew Killgore, who served as US ambassador to Qatar from 1977 to 1980, told the BBC: "We thought American diplomats were as unhappy as British diplomats were over what the president did."

He called for President Bush to withdraw his support for the disengagement plan, which Mr Sharon may have to modify after failing to gain the support of his Likud party.

He said Mr Bush should not "take away the right of the Palestinians to return, or give Sharon the right to take settlement blocks in the West Bank which will hardly leave the Palestinians any contiguous territory".

'Torpedo'

"It seems to torpedo the idea of a separate Palestinian state," he added.

Mr Killgore said the letter was mainly about policy towards Israel and the Palestinians, but it touched on Iraq too.

"If anything Iraq is worse," he said.

William Rogers, who was under-secretary of state for economic affairs in the mid-1970s, has not decided whether to sign the letter yet, but said: "We're not the good guys any more and our foreign relations have been and are being damaged. We are viewed as hypocritical."

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Washington said those in the Bush administration who do support Mr Sharon might well point out that the state department has always been a sceptical supporter of Israel.

Mr Sharon himself has always made a point of dealing directly with the White House.

There has been no response yet from the White House, our correspondent says, though in the past, the administration has been quick to savage its critics.

[Jumper]

This is more of the Democrat effort to smear in the eyes of the public the reputation of Bush and elect "Any Democrat". Problem with these diplomats is that our Diplomacy is quite effective and remains confined to diplomatic channels....

The State Department is a liberal "Feeling" centric organization; of course, there are few logical "Thinking" types like myself floating around.

The major problem any new administration will have after Bush is that he has set the financial course of America for the next 10-years (Clinton talked about it but Bush did it - and there is not much room for Democrat spending on social issues:)-).

[Cindy]

Thank you Piasa.
I'll check this out.

[lainde]

I knew FReepers would get to the bottom of this! BTTT

[VisualizeSmallerGovernment]

Throwing Israel to the wolves is "diplomatic"? If so, I think "diplomacy" is overrated.

[swilhelm73]

Oh, another bit I missed on first look through;

Editorial Assistant: Laila Al-Arian

Is none other then the daughter of indicted terrorist Sami Al-Arian

[Cindy]

That's interesting.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

It's good to dig deeper and take action. But not to worry. The only diplomats most Americans have any respect for are Colon Powell and Jean Kirkpatrick. I and other conservatives have tremendous respect for Ambassador Keyes. But for the most part, most Americans only respect tough diplomats who value the lives of Christians and Israelis, the kind that George Will would call "neocons". Those who elevate Islamic lives over Christian and/or Israeli lives, such as Madam "All"bright, most Americans are suspicious of.

[Beckwith]

SO WHAT?

[Ready4Freddy]

LOL Did you miss the 'retired' in "Around 50 retired US diplomats"?

[kcvl]

Editorial Assistant: Laila Al-Arian

Is none other then the daughter of indicted terrorist Sami Al-Arian


VERY INTERESTING!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I'd like to think Bush has appointed diplomats that are pro-American and not UN lapdogs.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

NEOCON = JEW (pejorative)

[kcvl]

Laila Al-Arian, professor Al-Arian’s daughter and a senior at Georgetown University. Sami Al-Arian was arrested with three other men on charges of conspiring to commit acts of terrorism.

[hershey]

They're probably all from Carter's administration.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

These are the architects of the world of 9/11. Too many of them still work at State. The islamophiles need to be purged so next time 100 of them can worthless PsOS.

[kcvl]

Sr Laila Al-Arian

Sr Laila is a senior at Georgetown University, majoring in English and minoring in history. She is a staff writer and assistant features editor for The Hoya. She recently completed an internship at the editorial page of USA Today. This semester, she will work as a research assistant for Professor John Esposito.

[piasa]

it's getting more interesting

Laila Al-Arian ring a bell?

[sure_fine]

"Your unabashed support of Sharon's extra-judicial assassinations, Israel's Berlin-Wall-like barrier, its harsh military measures in occupied territories and now your endorsement of Sharon's unilateral plans are costing our country its credibility, prestige and friends," the letter warned. We're not the good guys any more... We are viewed as hypocritical. Former diplomat William Rogers .... it seems I remember something GWB said about the Mid East, about how what has been done over and over again in the last 60 years has not worked, its time to make some changes... these assholes lost and are losing their cushy jobs with untold perks and they are not happy about it, its not what good for America that concerns them, its their own personal goals that have been interrupted.

[kcvl]

Where to try Saddam?

By Laila Al-Arian
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

[piasa]

Check out this thread...

Professor al Arian's daughter just completed an internship at the editorial page of USA Today