Senator Hillary Clinton, D-NY, speaks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) dinner, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 in New York.
Posted on 02/01/2007 8:29:42 PM PST by jdm
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Presidential contender Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Thursday the United States should talk with Iran, Syria, Hamas and Hezbollah as she outlined a plan for the Middle East that left open the possibility of military action against Tehran.
The New York Democratic senator, who aims in 2008 to become the first woman U.S. president, said in a speech to a pro-Israel lobbying group that valuable knowledge and leverage could be gained from engaging with those countries and organizations.
"I have advocated engagement with our enemies and Israel's enemies because I want to understand better what we can do to defeat those who are aiming their hatred, their extremism and their weapons at us," Clinton told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee dinner in New York.
The wife of former President Bill Clinton said new tactics were needed "in the endeavor to rein in terrorism, to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power and to quell the influence of (Islamist groups) Hezbollah and Hamas."
The United States accuses Iran of undermining efforts to stabilize Iraq and of having a secret nuclear weapons program, but Iran says its nuclear projects are for civilian power generation.
"We need to use every tool at our disposal, including diplomatic and economic, in addition to the threatened use of military force," Clinton said.
"I also want to send a message -- if we ever do have to take more drastic action -- to the rest of the world that we exhausted all possibilities because we need friends and allies to stand with us as we stand with Israel in this long war against terrorism and extremism," she said.
Clinton, who reiterated support for the security barrier Israel is building in the West Bank, also said the Palestinians' governing Hamas should not be recognized until it renounces violence and terrorism and recognizes Israel's right to exist.
"We believe that Israelis have the right to live in their country without the constant threat of terrorism, war and rocket fire," she said. "We stand with Israel because it's a beacon of democracy in the region."
They're not the same? Terrorists are terrorists.
By all means, lets send Hellary to Iran... on the condition they keep her.
I'm all for engaging Iran, preferably with the air complement of two carrier battle groups, daily B-2 flights out of Missouri, and some special ops forces to support their Kurds and Arabs.
Can someone photoshop Hillary as Neville Chamberlain?
I want Hillary Rodham Clinton to create the jobs she PROMISED New York. Guess she's too busy working for herself.
She says we should talk with Iran, Syria, Hamas and Hezbollah
Um..Hillary, Hamas and Hezbollah are NOT countries, they are terrorist organizations...
But...what do we see in the SAME speech???
She says that Hamas shouldn't be recognized because they are terrorists...
So...she wants us not to recognize...BUT, have talks with terrorists.
Oh...yeah, this is who I want as my POTUS..../SARC
Who? You comparing Hillary to Terrorists? If so, then I completely agree - Terrorists are Terrorists (Clintons are Terrorists).
Isn't "engagement" with foreign powers Clinton-speak for "angling for bribes"...I mean "campaign contributions" from them?
Maybe she wants to give them some of NK nukes.
Senator Hillary Clinton, D-NY, speaks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) dinner, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 in New York.
Hillary ,"I want to understand better what we can do to defeat those who are aiming their hatred"
Iranian, " WHat you can do to defeat us is come across the northern border. It is almost completely undefended. Come around 5 PM because we will all be praying."
Is that what she is expecting?
We need the pictures of her with Arafat's wife!
She's not fooling anyone.
She just wants to compare notes with Ahmadinejad on pantsuits.
[Hillary] Clinton wants campaign contributions from Iran
All possibilities? For Hillary, that would include capitulation, submission, surrender and a bunch of other undesirable outcomes before she would consider military action. We might as well give Iran the atom bomb.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.