Joseph Sarandos
Head Administrator
Global user
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Albright Defends Speaker Pelosi for Syria Trip Opposed by Bush
I’m not in any way “a fan” of Madeleine Albright. In fact, she was and is one of my least favorite public figures along with Hillary Clinton (whom she supports for president).
However, I’m in full agreement with Albright’s defence of Nancy Pelosi (another of my least favorite people), and I’m also convinced that Pelosi’s trip to Syria was the right thing to do, albeit that it should have been done by Bush, a long time ago.
Joseph
-----------------
Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aptwF4_uHWZA&refer=home
Albright Defends Speaker Pelosi for Syria Trip Opposed by Bush
By Janine Zacharia
April 6 (Bloomberg) -- Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright defended House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for going to Syria against the wishes of President George W. Bush, saying the trip showed the importance of meeting leaders at odds with the U.S.
Pelosi conferred with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on April 4, brushing aside a request from Bush to avoid the country accused by his administration of allowing fighters to enter Iraq. Bush called her trip “counterproductive.''
``I spent a lot of time in Damascus talking to Bashar's father,'' Albright, 69, said in an interview on Bloomberg Television's ``Political Capital with Al Hunt,'' scheduled to air today. ``I talked to a lot of people that we didn't necessarily agree with, and I think that's not a bad message.''
Bush has come under pressure from Democrats and some Republicans to hold broad talks with Syria and Iran about Iraq and other Middle East issues. Syria and Iran are both listed by the U.S. as state sponsors of terrorism, chiefly for their support of Islamic groups hostile to Israel.
Asked if Pelosi, 67, had a productive visit to Syria, Albright said ``it had mixed signals.''
While the U.S. has had minimal contact with Syria since the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005, there has been a slight shift in course this year. U.S. officials met both Syrian and Iranian delegates at a March 10 conference in Baghdad, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the U.S. is ``open to higher-level exchanges'' to try to stabilize Iraq.
Middle East Peace
Pelosi's comments during her trip triggered confusion over whether she had brought a peace offering from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Pelosi said she conveyed a message from Olmert that his country is ready to engage in peace talks, and Assad gave assurances of his willingness to participate.
The Jerusalem Post, citing unidentified officials in Olmert's office, reported that Olmert told Pelosi before she traveled to meet Assad that the Damascus trip was a mistake.
Olmert's office released a statement saying the prime minister had told Pelosi ``a number of Senate and House members who recently visited Damascus received the impression that despite the declarations of Bashar Assad, there is no change in the position of his country regarding a possible peace process with Israel.''
Iran Tensions
Albright made several trips to Damascus during her time as secretary of state and also tried to engage with Iran, announcing in 2000 that the U.S. would end an embargo on Iranian pistachios and rugs, and acknowledging the U.S. role in the 1953 overthrow of Iran's prime minister.
Albright, reflecting on the 13-day Persian Gulf standoff between the U.K. and Iran that rocked oil markets and raised the specter of possible military conflict, said there were still a ``lot of questions'' about the incident. The 15 sailors and Marines seized by the Revolutionary Guard on March 23 returned to Britain yesterday.
Six of the former captives told reporters today that they had been kept in solitary confinement by Iran's government and were subjected to interrogations and psychological pressure.
The peaceful resolution of the matter kept diplomacy intact for the bigger dispute over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Albright said it was ``very important for the international community to stick together on the nuclear issue.'' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is planning to highlight the nuclear quest next week in a visit to a major nuclear facility near the city of Natanz.
Clinton, Obama
Ahmadinejad said yesterday he would soon announce ``good news'' about the country's nuclear program, which the U.S. suspects is intended for weapons development.
On Iraq, Albright said she supports a goal of getting U.S. forces out, though not setting a specific date for doing so.
``I do think they are looking at how to end this,'' she said of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his new commander in the Middle East, Admiral William Fallon.
While the war in Iraq goes on, the U.S. presidential campaign is intensifying. Albright signaled support for Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Hillary Clinton of New York and took issue with the qualifications of Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, who is also seeking the 2008 nomination. Albright served under President Bill Clinton.
Asked if she thought Obama might provide more of a new direction for Democrats than Clinton would, Albright said, ``I think it's very important to have a president who is ready to go the minute she is inaugurated because there are very, very many serious situations on the ground.''
``I'm an optimist,'' Albright said. ``But I'll also say I worry a lot. And there are very serious issues, and I think we need a totally experienced person to be president.''
-----------------------------------------------------------
|
|
4/6/2007, 3:02 pm
|
Send Email to Joseph Sarandos
Send PM to Joseph Sarandos
|
