Posted on 02/28/2002 1:20:56 PM PST by BigTime
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said on Thursday he regretted suggesting that former U.S. President Bill Clinton's push for a Middle East peace deal was to blame for the last 17 months of violence in the region.
Earlier on Thursday, Fleischer suggested that Clinton's ''shoot the moon'' effort to broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal before leaving office was responsible for the strife in which nearly 1,200 people have died since September 2000.
While he did not cite Clinton by name, Fleischer alluded to the former president's July 2000 drive at Camp David to broker a deal between Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
``I mistakenly suggested that increasing violence in the Middle East was attributable to the peace efforts that were under way in 2000,'' Fleischer said in a rare written statement that expressed regret for his earlier remarks.
Fleischer said his earlier comments did not reflect the position of the administration and said his boss, President Bush , supported Clinton's efforts to bring about a comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
``No United States president, including President Clinton, is to blame for violence in the Middle East. The only people to blame for violence are the terrorists who engage in it,'' Fleischer said. ``I regret any implication to the contrary.''
Breaking a tradition of not criticizing former presidents, Fleischer earlier suggested that Clinton's efforts had created unrealistic expectations that then boiled over into strife.
``You can make the case that in an attempt to shoot the moon ... more violence resulted,'' Fleischer told reporters during his morning briefing. ``That as a result of an attempt to push the parties beyond where they were willing to go ... it led to expectations that were raised to such a high level that it turned into violence,''
During his afternoon briefing, Fleischer said Clinton ''tried valiantly to achieve peace in the Middle East'' but did not retract his earlier comments. Asked if he stood by his morning remarks, Fleischer said: ``Of course I stand by it.''
A Clinton spokeswoman, speaking before Fleischer issued his statement of regret at midafternoon, dismissed his comments.
``It is unfortunate that the spokesman for the president, in dealing with the Middle East, is trying to pass blame,'' Clinton spokeswoman Julia Payne said. ``They would be better off using their energies to facilitate the peace process.''
A Bush administration official, who spoke after Fleischer issued his statement and asked not to be identified, said: ``We agree completely that President Clinton made tireless, energetic efforts to bring peace to the Middle East.''
I think they are completely, utterly wrong. This sort of viciousness shores up the hate-Bush base, but the Dems have them sewn up anyway. But in the process, it absoluely infuriates the moderates who are totally pro-Bush WRT the war. They're going to see these Dem attacks as damn near treasonous.
I don't think he needs to apologize, he only needed to clarify for the press idiots - as he has done here.
You guys (and gals) are so cynical. Don't you remember how Clinton once blamed his problems on "the last 12 years of Reagan-Bush," but then he stopped himself, apologized, and ordered all his people to never say that again?
And they never did. Not once. Not one time. Ever.
The full truth is that this matter was caused not just by the 17 months, but rather the entire eight years, starting to really take off with what we have pointed out as his "militarily silly" strike of some 27 missiles to boost his domestic polls, in which he gave no advance warning to coalition partners because he decided to do it while thinking, as usual, with his nether parts.
And even at that we must give some credit to Little Jeemy Carter, who refused to help the Shah and cheered on, initially, Khomeini, who, like Lenin, decided immediately upon taking power to "let the terror begin."
Shame though, that he had to apologise for this. I wish he would have stuck by his guns. But by the same token one can't help but think this was a way to get the truth public without the appearance of finger pointing.
I stated... I mistakenly suggested... I regret...
Was this "briefing/press conference" just a platform for Mr. Fleischer's opinions?
We're supposed to believe that he's some kind of loose cannon that'll espouse whatever insinuation comes into his mind?
I'm not buying it. I believe what he said is the truth. I hope this administration believes it's the truth. The truth never requires an apology (like M. Thatcher stated in #56) NEVER!
"Demonstrably true" means that it can be proved. In this sort of complex issue, what Ari said was an opinion. It really can't be proved with any evidence or logic.
It's kinda standard practice for an administration not to criticize its predecessor so blatantly. Ari overstepped. He knows it, and he apologized.
My thoughts eggxactly.
Just wondering if they decided to borrow a play from the other team!
LVM
Huh? Does he mean while he was being serviced by the intern or in between? clinton didn't give a rip about mideast peace. All he cared about was his sorry legacy and maybe the nobel peace price.
This baby was planned.
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