Top US State department official calls Gingrich an "idiot"

Yahoo! ^ | Thursday, April 24, 2003 | Agence France Presse

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

LISBON (AFP) - A top US State Department official called former congressman and current Pentagon adviser Newt Gingrich an "idiot" in an interview published here.

US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Elizabeth Jones was asked to comment on Gingrich's recent harsh criticism of her department's Middle East diplomacy.

"Newt Gingrich does not speak in the name of the Pentagon and what he said is garbage," US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Elizabeth Jones told the Publico daily.

"What Gingrich says does not interest me. He is an idiot and you can publish that," she added.

Gingrich called on Tuesday for dramatic change at the State Department, which he accused of backing Middle East dictators and undermining the policies of President George W. Bush.

The former House of Representatives speaker also blasted Secretary of State Colin Powell's plan to visit to Syria, which Washington has accused of harbouring fleeing Iraqi leaders and developing chemical weapons.

He said it was "ludicrous" to meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad, who Gingrich called a terrorist-supporting, secret police-wielding dictator.

Powell is expected to visit Syria during the first week of May as part of a Middle East tour.

"He is going to Syria because the president wants him to have a frank talk with President Assad about all the issues that worry us, be they terrorist training camps or the need to close the borders to Saddam Hussein's collaborators or the question of weapons of mass destruction," Jones said.

[MinuteGal]

The long-entrenched Arab Street in the State Department must be getting the heebie-jeebies for one of them to abandon diplomatic-speak and lash out at Mr. Newt.

Leni

[martin_fierro]

I sure hope Newt doesn't protest this criticism of his remarks by posing nude on some magazine cover.

[Bob J]

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[annyokie]

Mush as I love Newty, that's an image I don't need!

[expatpat]

Is Elizabeth Jones a hold-over from the Clinton Administration?

[microgood]

I am sure threatening to would be enough.

[1john2 3and4]

don'worry 'bout the imagery....powell to secure the borderummmm flank.....assad?....we'll see

[winner3000]

Newt's attack on the State Department was absolutely awesome in its surgical precision. Me thinks they're still in shock and awe at state.

[annyokie]

Nekkid Colin Powell I don't need either!

[1john2 3and4]

I sure hope Newt doesn't protest this criticism of his remarks by posing nude on some magazine cover.

bared repeating

(sorry)

[1john2 3and4]

lol

[OriginalV]

With all due respect to Colin Powell, but he has been a complete failure as Sec. of State.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I sure hope Newt doesn't protest this criticism of his remarks by posing nude on some magazine cover.

You and me both. (But it makes you wonder what words would be written all over his body.)

[dighton]

Is Elizabeth Jones a hold-over from the Clinton Administration?

Here's her bio.

[Longshanks]

Poor Newt misses the limelight so he is willing to serve as the attack dog for the neocon/Israel-first establishment in its campaign to undermine Bush.

Bush supporters, will you stand by your man if he defies the Amen Corner like his father before him?

[Dog Gone]

Pretty hard to tell her politics from that bio. She's a career bureacrat.

I think her most recent statements give the best clue.

[k2blader]

"... Executive Assistant to Secretary of State Warren Christopher ..."

Hmmm...

[Jim Noble]

The Fedayeen Clinton at State are resurgent.

[vbmoneyspender]

definitely a liberal -- She was appointed to an ambassadorship by the Sickmeister and she served as executive assistant to Warren Christopher.