Posted on 10/21/2006 10:13:14 PM PDT by khnyny
A senior U.S. diplomat said the United States had shown "arrogance" and "stupidity" in Iraq but was now ready to talk with any group except Al-Qaida in Iraq to facilitate national reconciliation.
In an interview with Al-Jazeera television aired late Saturday, Alberto Fernandez, director of public diplomacy in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the State Department offered an unusually candid assessment of America's war in Iraq.
"We tried to do our best but I think there is much room for criticism because, undoubtedly, there was arrogance and there was stupidity from the United States in Iraq," he said.
"We are open to dialogue because we all know that, at the end of the day, the solution to the hell and the killings in Iraq is linked to an effective Iraqi national reconciliation," he said, speaking in Arabic from Washington. "The Iraqi government is convinced of this."
The question of negotiations between the United States and insurgency factions has repeatedly surfaced over the past two years, but details have been sketchy. One issue that was often raised in connection with such negotiations was the extent of amnesty the United States and its Iraqi allies were willing to offer to the insurgents if they disarmed and joined the political process.
Fernandez spoke to the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera after a man claiming to speak for Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party told the network the United States was seeking a face-saving exodus from Iraq and that insurgents were ready to negotiate but won't lay down arms.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Bush has been incredibly stupid. Clintion was much, much smarter. Clinto cleared all executive branch offices of all legacy political appointments (who then fired and demoted all legacy bureucrats) and replaced them with his own loyalists.
Bush should jhave fired hundreds of anti-American pieces of crap like this guy 6 years ago.
This guy is a traitor, now lets see Bush pat him on the back for exhibiting the values of free speech.
Who appointed this clown? Let me guess...
Not so fast...
HAMZA HENDAWI
AP
NEVER EVER BUY MSM BS.
Who translated from Arabic to English to find out what Fernandez said? The original article in NYT said it was over phone in Arabic.
The only stupid things we did is to not firing all liberals in Government and counting on demorats to back the war they voted for.
Well, of course. Considering the treachery of our own media.
He'll most likely get a congressional medal of freedom award or something like that.
I agree with the diplomat. Our record in Iraq is one of colossal blunders:
1. We occupied the country rather than pacified it. We should have made them sick of war. (We need another Cump Sherman)
2. We considered world opinion more important that purely military objectives.
3. We did not kill Sadr when we had the chance.
4. We allow Iran free reign in the country. We should have slapped them down at the first sign of their interference in Iraq.
5. We want them to like us, rather than fear us.
6. And finally, we allow pissant state department officials to spout messages contrary to our national interest.
7. We have not punished the fifth column operating here in the US, i.e. pentagon, state department, and other political leakers of our secrets.
8. We handicapped ourselves by trying to play nice at war against a barbaric enemy.
Fernandez delivered the interview in Arabic and apparently, the reporter speaks Arabic, but I see your point. Let's see how it plays out. If this guy is quoted correctly, it really wouldn't surprise me as it is the State Department we're talking about here, but then again, it wouldn't surprise if the media "misconstrued" his words either.
Agreed, but what good to self flagellate?
The arrogance of this jerk -hardly diplomatic to trash your country like this. Electionteering for sure.
I agree with your assessment. To sum it up, we didn't kill enough of the enemy.
WWPD: What Would Patton Do?
"Bush has been incredibly stupid. Clintion was much, much smarter."
Please dont make my heart sink ... you could have said simply ...
"Clinton, the Machiavellian political manipulator, cleared all executive branch offices of all legacy political appointments (who then fired and demoted all legacy bureucrats) and replaced them with his own loyalists."
"Bush should jhave fired hundreds of anti-American pieces of crap like this guy 6 years ago."
Maybe, but then the State Dept would be just left with its janitors and a few assistant visa handlers in Mongolia.
Seriously. We are talking about the entire foreign services corps being of a DC-cultural elite mindset and therefore hostile to a "Red State" President.
I find the timing of these remarks highly suspect, right before the elections. Every war has blunders and missteps, that's the nature of war. The important point is to be focused on the goals and objectives and not lose the battle at home to ignorant public opinion. Sorry to be so blunt, but if we really end up losing in Iraq, it will be because of the manipulation of the gullible in America by the media, the left and our enemies.
See points 6 and 7. We should have purged our internal enemies long ago so we would not be dealing with this kind of treason before an election.
#3 is just killing (literally) us now. We should still do him at first chance; retribution.
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