James Baker's New Test In Diplomacy [Bush Spokesman: "Jim Baker can go back to his day job."]

CBS ^ | December 6, 2006

[West Coast Conservative]

~snip~

Back in 1990, Baker convinced Syria to join the Gulf War coalition against Saddam Hussein. Now, he wants this George Bush to talk to Syria ... and Iran, too.

"It has to be hard-nosed, it has to be determined," Baker said in a television interview in October. "You don't give away anything, but in my view, it's not appeasement to talk to your enemies."

But this president may not be in much of a hurry to accept Baker's ideas about that — or much else. Asked if Baker would help implement the report, a spokesman for Mr. Bush said, "Jim Baker can go back to his day job."

[Names Ash Housewares]

He said that the report was not fruit salad, that your not supposed to pick and choose.

Well, I say dont even order it.

[angkor]

Well, he's the arrogant bastard, isn't he?

[Mr. Mojo]

"Jim Baker can go back to his day job."

.....on the House of Saud payroll.

[Rummyfan]

Asked if Baker would help implement the report, a spokesman for Mr. Bush said, "Jim Baker can go back to his day job."

And please take Lee Hamilton, Vernon Jordan, and Sandra D with you!

But of course these appeasers and know-nothings will be all over the weekend talk shows. Any bets as to whether Baker and Hamilton turn up together on MTP?

[MNJohnnie]

HAAAAA!

Take that John McCain. This "Iraq Study Group" was suppose to be his launch platform for 2008. He were suppose to be able to ride in and claim he "fixed Iraq". Seem the only thing he fixed was his political death. Way to piss off EVERYONE on the Right yet again John McCain!

Seems the only thing with a shorter less successful flight time then a North Korean missile is John McCain's for 2008 liftoff

[WashingtonSource]

Baker is a consensus builder. One can not win the war on terror and try to build consensus with the enemy. He's also big on pragmatism. There's nothing practical about lying down with the enemy in hopes of a deal.

[jpl]

"Jim Baker can go back to his day job."

Wow. In intra-party Washingtonspeak, this is about as close as it gets to giving someone the middle finger.

I wonder what old man Poppy is thinking right about now. It may be an uncomfortable family Christmas.

[tx_eggman]

A bit off topic, but in the comments to the article on the C-BS webpage I found

James Baker is one of the top terrorists on the planet. He is a clear and present threat to the American public, and to the human race.

Posted by FeelFree1

Reminded me of words I heard come out of my grandpa's mouth while he was still with us .. only he came from the opposite end of the political spectrum.

"Richard Nixon is a communist .. and Ronald Reagan is a dangerously radical man"

Grandpa thought John Birchers were lefties.

[WashingtonSource]

"Top terrorist." Love it.

[atomicpossum]

Too damn many diplomats in Washington nowadays.

[Y2000]

what is MTP ?

[Jack Black]

OK. I get the anger at McCain. I'm still mad about McCain Feingold, and I didn't like the Gang of 14 play but we did manage to get two great judges on the SC (and it wasn't all Bush that did that, remember Harriet Meyers!).

But lets say you are right and McCain is damaged goods. Who do you want instead? Rudy? Rudy is a liberal in most every sense of the word. He should run as a Dem: anti-gun, pro-choice, pro-gay. To me worse than McCain.

Romney? His greatest claim to fame (aside from being Governor of the most liberal state in the USA - not exactly a classic stepping stone to conservative leadership) is that he now requires everyone in his state to buy insurance (with bleading heart excpetions for poor people who the state buys it for).

So it's a feel good socialized medicine plan. Why do we need Romney to do that? I'd rather have Hillary destroy the medical system than a Republican.

Now you are into the back benchers. I'm not saying these guys can't win, but it's not real likely. Brownback is in. So is the guy from San Diego who's name I can't remember - he's big on defense spending and anti illegal.

What's your choice? What's your plan?

[Diogenesis]

Saudi Prince Faisal with his paid servant, James Baker

[Steve_Seattle]

"Baker is a consensus builder. One can not win the war on terror and try to build consensus with the enemy. He's also big on pragmatism."

And for these folks, the operating definition of pragmatism is: "Emphasize talk and good will and platitudes and process; above all, never suggest a course of action that might actually have tangible, real-world effects, that might actually change how the world is." Notice how their understanding of pragmatism is the exact OPPOSITE of its ordinary meaning?

[dfwgator]

Baker is a consensus builder. One can not win the war on terror and try to build consensus with the enemy. He's also big on pragmatism. There's nothing practical about lying down with the enemy in hopes of a deal.

Nah, Baker just hates the Jews and Israel.

[OldFriend]

This group is the most out of touch bunch of losers ever convened. And that says a lot after the 9/11 Commission.

They want to have the UN involved in Iraq?

They want the EU involved???????????????????????

They've been breathing each other's fumes for nine months and this is the result.

[NeoCaveman]

"Jim Baker can go back to his day job."....representing the Saudi government.

[WashingtonSource]

I can believe that, seeing as how he and the commission tied the Palestinian issue right into the Iraqi one when there was no need to do that.

[OldFriend]

Check out the article on Rumsfeld.....EXIT SMILING, RUMSFELD.

You will see how it was Powell and Shinseki who doomed this effort from the start. Now we have to clean up their mess.

The original mess was what Baker left behind when he was involved in the first Gulf War.