Pal Pot
Posted on 12/08/2006 1:32:16 PM PST by Omega Man II
08/12/2006
Despite urging by Iraq report, Bush won't talk with Iran, Syria
By Akiva Eldar, Mazal Mualem, Shmuel Rosner and Yoav Stern
United States President George W. Bush said on Thursday he has no plans to hold talks with Syria and Iran, despite the recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group report.
Bush said that the Americans had made clear their position that they would not hold talks with countries that support terrorist activities.
"Countries that participate in talks must not fund terrorism, must help the young democracy survive, must help with the economics of the country," Bush said, during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. "If people are not committed, if Syria and Iran are not committed to that concept, then they shouldn't bother to show up."
"If we were to have a conversation, it would be this one, to Syria: Stop destabilizing the Siniora government. We believe that the Siniora government should be supported, not weakened. Stop allowing money and arms to cross your border into Iraq. Don't provide safe haven for terrorist groups. We've made that position very clear," he added.
With regard to Iran, Bush said, "We have made it clear to the Iranians that there is a possible change in U.S. policy, a policy that's been in place for 27 years, and that is that if they would like to engage the United States, that they've got to verifiably suspend their enrichment program. We've made our choice. Iran now has an opportunity to make its choice."
A day after the release of the report, which said the stabilization of Iraq depends among other things on addressing the Israeli-Arab conflict, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Thursday that he does not believe the conditions are ripe for negotiations with Syria.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
Despite what the many naysayers here believe, Bush is not going "wobbly" on us.
Yes, Gates used to be an ISG member.. but I think that's one of the reasons he's a good choice as DefSec. Who better to push back on the ISG report than a former member of the panel?
We are already talking to Syria. We have an embassy there.
I'm glad the President expanded the list of conditions under which we would talk to these enemies. But the momentum taht has been lost is a policy of confronting them and possibly launching military action. I believe based on past behavior, Syria in particular would fold if it thought we might invade.
Hope he sticks to his guns. Would we talk with Hitler or Stalin or Mussolini or Pal Pot? This is one the dumbest ideas I have heard yet. We are turning into cowards and the chances of your great grandchildren knowing our true country are getting slimmer by the hour.
Phew!
Bomb, yes. Talk, no.
Talk about what?
Is that a new doll out for the Christmas season?
...hey...it's frieday...
FMCDH(BITS)
The U.S. should start bombing Iran's nuclear sites immediately, and keep bombing until they are pulverized. At the same time, we should bomb their oil pipelines to completely shut them down.
Who is Pal Pot?
James Baker's Saudi masters are not pleased.
Talk is not an end in itself. What could we offer them that did not amount to letting Iran be the top-dog on the region?
Pal Pot
And the UN has been talking to Iran for years and what has that gotten them ?
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