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Ex-Powell aide: Cheney snubbed '03 Iran offer
AP via Denver Post ^ | Jan 18, 2007

Posted on 01/18/2007 7:49:16 PM PST by jdm

London - An Iranian offer to help the United States stabilize Iraq and end its military support for Hezbollah and Hamas was rejected by Vice President Dick Cheney in 2003, a former top State Department official told the British Broadcasting Corp.

The U.S. State Department was open to the offer, which came in an unsigned letter sent shortly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Lawrence Wilkerson, former Secretary of State Colin Powell's chief of staff, told the BBC in a program that aired Wednesday night. But Wilkerson said Cheney vetoed the deal.

"We thought it was a very propitious moment" to strike a deal, Wilkerson said. "But as soon as it got to the White House, and as soon as it got to the vice president's office, the old mantra of 'We don't talk to evil' ... reasserted itself."

A spokesman for the State Department said Thursday that he wasn't aware of the letter. "Far as I know, there's never been an offer from the Iranian government on those kinds of concerns," said Tom Casey.

Wilkerson said that in return for its cooperation, Tehran asked Washington to lift sanctions and to dismantle an Iranian opposition group that has bases in Iraq.

Iran also offered to increase the transparency of its nuclear program, he said.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 03; cheney; iran; powell
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Sounds like BS to me.
1 posted on 01/18/2007 7:49:18 PM PST by jdm
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To: jdm

Its all Cheneys fault ...and all this time I thought it was Bush's fault


The next thing ya know it will be Karl Rove's


2 posted on 01/18/2007 7:51:47 PM PST by woofie
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To: jdm
Sounds like BS to me.:

from Larry Wilkerson, you can pretty much guarantee it.

3 posted on 01/18/2007 7:52:35 PM PST by digger48
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To: jdm
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
4 posted on 01/18/2007 7:53:05 PM PST by perfect stranger (I'm no expert in rocket surgery but......)
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To: jdm

Unsigned letter? I can't imagine Cheney not responding to an unsigned letter! ROFL


5 posted on 01/18/2007 7:54:25 PM PST by Jrabbit
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To: perfect stranger

nice meter, great reading. what a bunch of hoooey.


6 posted on 01/18/2007 7:55:16 PM PST by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
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To: jdm

That's because it is.

These people are totally clueless if they believed Iran's offer of help was anything more than a ploy to get more power and influence in Iraq - and further infiltrate the Iranian troops into Iraq.

Proving once again that Powell was also clueless.


7 posted on 01/18/2007 7:55:59 PM PST by CyberAnt (Drive-By Media: Fake news, fake documents, fake polls)
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To: Jrabbit; digger48

You two both said exactly what I was going to say.


8 posted on 01/18/2007 7:56:55 PM PST by AmishDude (It doesn't matter whom you vote for. It matters who takes office.)
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To: jdm

When good negotiates with evil, evil wins.


9 posted on 01/18/2007 7:57:08 PM PST by Bosco (Remember how you felt on September 11?)
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To: jdm
Sounds like BS to me.

"The U.S. State Department was open to the offer, which came in an unsigned letter"

You might be right.
10 posted on 01/18/2007 7:58:10 PM PST by kinoxi
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To: jdm

It doesn't sound like BS to me... just a good move on Cheney's part.


11 posted on 01/18/2007 7:58:59 PM PST by Lunatic Fringe (Say "NO" to the Trans-Texas Corridor)
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To: jdm

What is with this Wilkerson guy? Is there anything he won't do to screw the Bush Administration?


12 posted on 01/18/2007 8:03:12 PM PST by popdonnelly
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To: jdm

Any offer from Iran was/is crappola. Period.

There must be a lot of bitterness among the ex-Powell crowd as evidenced by the regular efforts to sabatoge the current administration. The whole bunch is nothing but a bunch of liberals with (R) after their names.

And, IMO, 98% of career State Department officials and bureaucrats are appeasing liberals.

I never figured out why Powell even registered as a Republican.


13 posted on 01/18/2007 8:05:11 PM PST by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s......you weren't really there)
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To: jdm

Let's see....

They invade your soverign terrority (US Embassy).

They take your people hostage for over a year.
They pay for the bombing of your Marines in Beirut.
They support the Herzbollah and increased hostilities.
They provide Iraqi Shias with advanced IEDs.

What is talking going to accomplish with people who are at WAR WITH US?!


14 posted on 01/18/2007 8:07:06 PM PST by Prost1 (Fair and Unbiased as always!)
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To: jdm

Sure. "I'm from Iran, and I'm here to help."


15 posted on 01/18/2007 8:08:28 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: jdm
colin powell cronies just keep up the state dept's war on bush. maybe this was the same powell brain trust that let sadr back into iraqi from iran !
16 posted on 01/18/2007 8:08:56 PM PST by BurtSB (the price of freedom is eternal vigilance)
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To: BurtSB

Why are we spending good money building targets for the military to use for pratice when we have the State department just sitting there.


17 posted on 01/18/2007 8:13:13 PM PST by neverhillorat (IF THE RATS WIN, WE ALL LOSE)
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To: ChildOfThe60s

"There must be a lot of bitterness among the ex-Powell crowd as evidenced by the regular efforts to sabatoge the current administration."

As far as I can tell, all of it comes from this Lawrence Wilkerson guy. I wouldn't be too hasty to blame Powell or any of his associates for Wilkerson's actions. Wilkerson seems like somebody with a real axe to grind.


18 posted on 01/18/2007 8:13:21 PM PST by popdonnelly
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To: Cicero; Chieftain

Powell is the MOST passive aggressive SOB i have ever seen!ha.
The guy gets mad and then takes these stupid pot shots cause he hasn't been able to really go anywhere with his career politically. What a baby...and for a general yet....he must be P...whipped at home!

Iran offer: " We will help you. Leave us alone with our NUkes...ok?
Colin Powell said that would be ok. Huh, Cheny...Huh?


19 posted on 01/18/2007 8:16:37 PM PST by Recovering Ex-hippie (Oprah is a phony money grubbing self centered sleeze!!!)
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To: All
I always wonder what it is that the Wilkersons of the world think they can give the enemy that will make the enemy change his mind. "Lift the sanctions, dismantle the opposition group. Then we'll play nice."

Yeah, right.

20 posted on 01/18/2007 8:19:23 PM PST by timpad (The Wizard Tim - Keeper of the Holy Hand Grenade, Finder of Obscurata)
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