US diplomats launch Bush attack

The BBC ^ | 4 May 2004 | Staff

[fdsa2]

Around 50 retired US diplomats have written to US President George Bush to complain about America's policy towards the Middle East. The letter is similar to one written by 52 former British diplomats to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair last week.

The former US diplomats complained that President Bush's approach is losing the US "credibility, prestige and friends".

They criticised what they say is Washington's unabashed support for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The American diplomats said they were deeply concerned by Mr Bush's endorsement last month of Mr Sharon's plan to withdraw unilaterally from Gaza.

'Great danger'

They were planning a press conference on Tuesday to go public with their opposition, according to the American Educational Trust (AET), a foundation where some of the former diplomats are based.

"Early responses are staggering," the AET said on Monday, adding "signatories are united by their belief that the US government is heading toward great danger."

"Our hope is that both political parties will take heed and listen to the voices of experienced diplomats," it said.

"Your unabashed support of Sharon's extra-judicial assassinations, Israel's Berlin-Wall-like barrier, its harsh military measures in occupied territories and now your endorsement of Sharon's unilateral plans are costing our country its credibility, prestige and friends," the letter warned.

We're not the good guys any more... We are viewed as hypocritical.

Former diplomat William Rogers

Israel says it has no choice but to kill militants planning to carry out suicide attacks, and that its West Bank barrier is for security only.

The signatories praised their British counterparts who went public over their concerns last month.

"We former diplomats applaud our 52 British colleagues who recently sent a letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair criticising his Middle East policy and calling on Britain to exert more influence over the United States," the US letter begins.

The organiser of the American missive, Andrew Killgore, who served as US ambassador to Qatar from 1977 to 1980, told the BBC: "We thought American diplomats were as unhappy as British diplomats were over what the president did."

He called for President Bush to withdraw his support for the disengagement plan, which Mr Sharon may have to modify after failing to gain the support of his Likud party.

He said Mr Bush should not "take away the right of the Palestinians to return, or give Sharon the right to take settlement blocks in the West Bank which will hardly leave the Palestinians any contiguous territory".

'Torpedo'

"It seems to torpedo the idea of a separate Palestinian state," he added.

Mr Killgore said the letter was mainly about policy towards Israel and the Palestinians, but it touched on Iraq too.

"If anything Iraq is worse," he said.

William Rogers, who was under-secretary of state for economic affairs in the mid-1970s, has not decided whether to sign the letter yet, but said: "We're not the good guys any more and our foreign relations have been and are being damaged. We are viewed as hypocritical."

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Washington said those in the Bush administration who do support Mr Sharon might well point out that the state department has always been a sceptical supporter of Israel.

Mr Sharon himself has always made a point of dealing directly with the White House.

There has been no response yet from the White House, our correspondent says, though in the past, the administration has been quick to savage its critics.

[swilhelm73]

Isn't it interesting how well the Vast Leftwing Conspiracy and the tools of the Saudi monarchy mesh?

[rbmillerjr]

bump for citing resource.

[wtc911]

"Fire them all and get new people who support our policies."

From line 1...."Around fifty retired US diplomats..."

A bunch of former bureaucrats from the Carter years...

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Powell is the main one deciding who the new diplomats are. They will be a reflection of Powell more than Bush. Time will tell. Not to worry, though. Negotiation is all diplmacy is. Diplomats tend to forget that. They are nothing but glorified hagglers. Military and intelligence: those are the forces that matter most, IMHO.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Er, military and intel matter most in a worldly sense, only under God.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Do diplomats have aspirations other than getting that treaty signed? They get fat heads and make friends with other fat heads. Lord! Who would put any faith in what they believe to be in the best interest of a super power. They need to believe it is they who can keep peace in the world. We believe as Reagan explained, there is peace through strength.

[Waco]

Hummers? Ain't dat what B.C. was gettin from Monica? Sink buddies, I guess.

[Cindy]

Yep.

[bvw]

Aye what better indicator could there be of the sterling character and righteous policy of President George W. Bush than to have a mob out of Foggy Bottom marching on him with daffy effigies a'burning and collars stick-pinned.

[Cindy]

GOOGLE Search Term: "Laila Al-Arian"
http://www.google.com/search?q=Laila+Al-Arian%22+%0D%0A&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=0

GOOGLE Search Term: "Sami Al-Arian"
http://www.google.com/search?q=Sami+Al-Arian%22+%0D%0A&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=0

[fdsa2]

?

[sure_fine]

what I see being done today, especially starting with war in Iraq, is the rejection of communism, and they are not liking it.


who was the was the main driving forces behind the protesters and who was to lose the most if the mid east was put down.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

.

[Diogenesis]

The State Dept CONTINUES to have orgasms when American, Christian and/or Jewish blood runs through the streets.

[xzins]

William Rogers, who was under-secretary of state for economic affairs in the mid-1970s

Carter years = 1976 to 1980

Iranian hostage crisis that was so successfully solved by the state department of mr carter.

Yep, those are definitely the guys we should be talking to. (/sarcasm)

[no more apples]

Absolutely!

Ping.

[craig_eddy]

Let's take a poll: which "letter' will make more news today, this one or the "Kerry is Unfit To Be Commander-in-Chief" one?

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Around 50 retired US diplomats have written to US President George Bush to complain about America's policy towards the Middle East. The letter is similar to one written by 52 former British diplomats to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair last week.

=====

BUSH TO MORONS : YOU ALL ARE FIRED !! "

They are all retired. You cannot fire someone who is retired.

[OldFriend]

VAST FREEDOM HATING CONSPIRACY

[b4its2late]

If they are a 501c3, someone in DC ought to get a copy of their 990. I think you have to request it in person, then pay a small fee to get a copy of it. It's amazing that they are a non-profit tax exempt organization and definitely should not have American in their name.