Posted on 04/15/2002 2:41:43 PM PDT by reformjoy
April 12, 2002
Dear Mr. President:
We write out of deep concern over your response to the recent events in the Middle East. While we appreciate the importance of sending Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region, we are troubled by certain developments that have occurred during his trip. By urging the resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), before the PA officially abandons their policy of suicide homicides against civilian populations, you have dramatically changed your steadfast policy towards not meeting with Chairman Arafat until he commits to a cease?fire.
As long as Arafat continues to support and fund terrorists, it is difficult to conceive that any progress can be made from meeting with him. Most worrisome, a meeting between Secretary Powell and Chairman Arafat in light of today's attack in Jerusalem validates the contention that Arafat is gaining ground through his strategy of terror.
If Secretary Powell meets with Chairman Arafat, we hope that the Secretary will make it clear that this is his final opportunity. In the past, Mr. Arafat has proven himself to be unreliable in following up with commitments to peace. Consequently, we believe that Secretary Powell should demand that Mr. Arafat act to eradicate the terrorist networks operating under his authority. Secretary Powell should make clear that if he does not comply, the United States will sever all ties with him.
Finally, we are dismayed by the pressure on Israel to withdraw from Palestinian towns before the Israeli military has had a chance to complete its operations. As the United States knows from its experience in Afghanistan, an operation of this kind takes time. If Israel is not allowed to complete its campaign, more Israeli lives will be vulnerable to future rounds of suicide bombings. If there is to be peace, Israel needs to isolate those elements of the Palestinian Authority that threaten its existence.
Thank you for your attention to our concerns. We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Susan Collins
Gordon Smith
Jon Corzine
I believe there will be invreased problems with arabs and particularly radical moslems. There are now 15 million arabs in France. Look at the demos in the US. Their population is outgrowing the rest of us. Not optimistic about the world my grandchildren will live in.
How is this going to be such a big mistake? Every single US President ever since this thing started has at least had some policy on how they felt about Israel/Palestine. Bush is involved, but then so was his dad and so was UO-X42. I just don't see this as a major nose-dive for W.
Ah...but is it WE who are being consumed?
Indeed. Bush knows the best way to pull the plug on Pali terror is to neutralize their life support, ie Iraq and Iran. He wants to go to the source. Without Weapons from the axis of evil, Pali's are just another annoying gang of thugs.
So has HIllary! That's the disturbing angle here!
As with all things, we must judge people not by the talk they talk, but by the walk they walk. Hillery set this up by squawking for Powell to be sent over to try to calm things down. Now that he has, she's going to lead the charge to be critical of him for negotiating with Arafat. If Powell hadn't gone, she'd have sent a different letter, criticizing him for not getting involved.
Hillery and Bill had Arafat to the White House 17 times while they were in power. 17 Times!!! More than any other head of state, period. She kissed Arafat's wife. Talk about negotiating with a terrorist.
On the other hand, Bush spoke in the Rose Garden, calling on both sides to step back and realize the long term effects of what they were doing. He called on Arafat to denounce terrorism, in Arabic, he called for Sharon to withdraw, "without delay". Last I checked, the tanks were still surrounding the PLO headquarters.
Bush spoke the words he had to speak to calm down the situation, but has done nothing to force Sharon's hand. He is screaming as loudly as he can that he is on Israel's side in this, without having to utter the words. Powell met with Sharon, no conditions. Not, "I'll meet with you only after you withdraw your forces". But the meeting with Arafat got cancelled until he stepped up to the plate. Sure, he's lying. Bush knows he's lying, Powell knows he's lying. Everybody with a half a brain knows he's lying including Saddam. But, Arafat had to blink. In the meantime, the IDF is doing a lot of dirty work for us. Gathering intelligence that would never have seen the light of day without their isolation of Arafat. We owe them a debt of gratitude and if anybody thinks Bush doesn't know that they're kidding themselves. Israel and Bush are taking a ton of heat around the world. The fact is that they are doing the right thing for the US & Israel for the long term, and if we're honest with ourselves, we know it.
Talk is cheap. Speak softly and carry a big stick. Last time I checked, Arafat is still living in two rooms, no water, no electricity, little food, and tanks surrounding him. Sure sounds like he's winning to me...
But, isn't Hillary acting a bit premature...the next Senate Election won't be till 2006!
Unless...oh NO... SHE'S GOING FOR THE PRESIDENCY!!!!!
We need someone to read Hillary's letter again, with a fine tooth comb, find the double-speak, anything to EXPOSE her true motives...
Even if the letter seems to echo the sentiments of many conservatives, Chuckster, you have the magic answer...Things that make ya go "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"
If it looks like a Duck, walks like a Duck and Quacks like a Duck...
She's STILL a Duck.
Very well said! This letter is the dagger that follows her behavior on September 20, 2001 when President Bush spoke before the Nation in front of both Houses of Congress.
Ms. Rodham-Clinton couldn't even contain her rage and disgust with Bush's Winning Speech to the Nation! She rolled her eyes in disgust and sat on her hands, while the rest of Congress and the Nation stood in a Standing Ovation!
Hillary Clinton's name in the second spot in the signature line is not a mistake, it is a calculated threat.
She's making it very clear that SHE has the power to destroy this Presidency, even if she must act covertly to do so.
Or something that rhymes with a duck...especially if you preface it with "dumb".
You are mistaken, dangerously so.
She is motivated by a lust for power that ranks with Hitler and Stalin.
She may play dumb at times, speaking in double-speak that sounds idiotic to you and me, but if you read her carefully, she speaks very clearly to those who follow her.
Her audience is not us. But we will be the Main Course.
It's called triangulation. Her polls and focus groups have told her that, for this week, she must be against Arafat. Next week's polls and focus groups may have her in a completely different position.
Remember, Clinton (take your pick) has no principles, no ethical standards, no basic beliefs beyond doing whatever it takes to get and hold power. If her polls and focus groups told her that she would be elected president if she would only run naked through the streets of NY City and then perform oral sex on every third male she encountered, she'd be off in a flash. The woman is utterly devoid of any principles.
Hillary and her Four Comrades are being damn bold in taking this position.
I'll read it again, and see if I can find it in the fine print! (Thanks for the laugh!)
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