Clinton eases praise of Israel after Arab concerns

AP on Yahoo ^ | 11/2/09 | Robert Burns - ap

[NormsRevenge]

MARRAKECH, Morocco – Trying to mute Arab criticism that the Obama administration had retreated from its tough stance on Israeli settlements, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday softened her praise for Israel's offer to restrain new housing in Palestinian areas.

While Israel was moving in the right direction in its offer to restrict but not stop the settlements, Clinton said, its offer "falls far short" of U.S. expectations.

Clinton said her earlier praise of Israel's offer, during a stop in Jerusalem, had been intended as "positive reinforcement." But her comment drew widespread criticism from Persian Gulf ministers who interpreted it as a U.S drawback on settlements, which have been the main obstacle to a resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

In a sign of U.S. eagerness to calm Arab concerns, Clinton is extending her trip by one day to fly to Cairo to meet with President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday, her staff announced. She had been scheduled to return to Washington on Tuesday.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

She’ll regret that waffle....

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

If she’d won, she’d have run her presidency just like her husband, who took illegal campaign contributions from the Red Chinese and allowed them to purchase missile-guidance technology in return.

She’d have run her presidency in complete response to the polls.

[NormsRevenge]

Oh Don't pay any attention to her, President Karzai..

I have the full faith of the Pres_ent of the United States to advise you of our desires.

US Senator John Kerry looks on as Afghan President Hamid Karzai holds a press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul on October 20. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has acknowledged presidential challenger Abdullah Abdullah's decision to withdraw from the Afghan runoff scheduled for November 7, and said Washington was ready to work with the leader of the next Afghan administration. (AFP/File/Shah Marai)

[NormsRevenge]

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attends a lunch hosted by Morocco's Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Firhi at the Mamounia hotel in Marrakesh November 2, 2009. Clinton, who is meeting Arab foreign ministers in Morocco on Monday, is likely to be told they are disappointed she did not exert more pressure to freeze settlement expansion when she met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week. REUTERS/Jean Blondin (MOROCCO POLITICS)

[NormsRevenge]

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attends the presentation of a solar energy project in Ouarzazate November 2, 2009. REUTERS/Rafael Marchante (MOROCCO POLITICS ENVIRONMENT)

[Zeppo]

Trying to mute Arab criticism that the Obama administration had retreated from its tough stance on Israeli settlements...

Is there any limit to her cluelessness? Does she not understand the game that the IslamoNazis play (and have been playing for a long time)?

Caving in to their demands ensures that there will be more demands in the future. Rather than "muting Arab criticism", this act will embolden them. Next time they will ratchet it up another notch. After all, their game worked this time around - why would they change it if it's working?

This administration is strictly "amateur hour" everywhere that it counts...

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[Texas resident]

Her boss bowed to the saudi king. Now clinton is politically bowing to the other arabs.

[tessalu]

Hillary and Obama are both big liars, and so it really does not matter much what they do say. I think everyone knows it by now.

[SunkenCiv]

While Israel was moving in the right direction in its offer to restrict but not stop the settlements, Clinton said, its offer "falls far short" of U.S. expectations.

That sound you hear is Hillary's hopes for a term or two as POTUS flying south for the rest of time.

[justiceseeker93]

While Israel was moving in the right direction in its offer to restrict but not stop the settlements, Clinton said, its offer "falls far short" of U. S. expectations.

Remember that this is the same woman who kissed Mrs. Arafat immediately after the latter had insulted Israel. So what else would you expect from her? If she said something nice about Israel this time when she was there, she had to backpedal on it when she visited an Arab country, and that's exactly what she did.

[Yehuda]

[dervish]

[sheik yerbouty]

In all fairness, Her Heinous replaced her with the lovely Huma..

[justiceseeker93]

In all fairness, Her Highness replaced [Suha Arafat] with the lovely Huma.

LOL!

Does anyone know where Huma has been lately?

[sheik yerbouty]

Perhaps hidden within the sinister fold of Her Heinous..

[SunkenCiv]

The answer to that question could get a feller banned...