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August 20, 2008

McCain Attacks Obama's Support For Israeli Peace Negotiations
Posted by Max Bergmann

So the McCain campaign is attacking an Obama adviser, and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer, for going to an American Bar Association conference in Damascus and calling on the Syrians to make peace with Israel. I guess to the McCain campaign, anyone that calls for peace through negotiations instead of "peace" through war is asking to be attacked. But this seems like a really dumb thing to do for two reasons.

1. If McCain is attacking Kurtzer (and therefore the Obama campaign) for being an appeaser, doesn't that mean that McCain also thinks that the Israelis are Chamberlin-like appeasers? The Israeli government is after all engaged in very public negotiations with Syria. In fact the Israeli military is one of the chief advocates of trying to negotiate a deal with Syria. Additionally, Assad recently had a very public meeting with Olmert and Sarkozy at the Mediterranean Conference where Olmert expressed hope that negotiations would develop. Does McCain oppose these efforts to negotiate peace? And if so doesn't that once again put McCain squarely in line with the Bush administration.

2. McCain himself once upon a time advocated talking to Syria. McCain is forgetting what he said about Colin Powell's trip to Damascus five years ago.  On the Today Show on April 18th 2003 McCain said that despite Syria being a state sponsor of terrorism, he was glad Powell was going there.

LAUER: Let me ask you about Syria.

Mr. McCAIN: Sure.

LAUER: They have denied possessing weapons of mass destruction, they've also denied harboring any senior members of the Iraqi leader. The US administration says they have evidence to the contrary. How would you proceed with that situation?

Mr. McCAIN: I think it's very appropriate that Colin Powell is going to Syria. I think we should put diplomatic and other pressures on them. It's also a time for Mr. Asad Bashar to realize that he should be more like his father was. I think he's too heavily influenced by a lot of the radical Islamic elements and--and militant groups.

LAUER: Do you think Syria meets the criteria set forth by the president in his post-9/11 address to Congress that they pose an imminent threat to the US in that they are either sponsoring or harboring terrorists?

Mr. McCAIN: I think they're--they're sponsoring and harboring terrorists. I think they have been occupying Lebanon, which should be free and independent for a long time, but I don't think that that means that we will now resort to the military action. We--we can apply a lot of pressure other than military--than the military action. So what I'm saying, we're a long way away from it.

LAUER: Under what circumstances--under what circumstances would you back military action?

Mr. McCAIN: When we've exhausted all other options. And we have a lot of options to--to exercise.  And I'm glad Colin Powell's going there, but the Syrians have got to understand there's a new day in the Middle East.

Update: this post has been slightly updated

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I love the way McCain and other Senate Republicans go on television and blather on about some foreign policy issue as if they are privy to some information not available to the general public. But when asked about their yea vote for the Iraq war, they claim that they believed the president because he has access to information that they don't.

As do most Senator's (especially those on the Senate Committee for Foreign Relations chaired by Senator Biden), Senator McCain IS privy to information not available to the public. As for blathering on television, it's not a sport reserved for Republicans only. In fact, the liberal media allows more than the Democrats fair share of blathering on issues ranging from defense provision to health care. The bottom line is when (and if) Barack Obama receives his first classified daily security briefing; he too will understand why the U.S. Military went to Iraq and is still there. His promise of pulling troops from Iraq is laughable (and disturbing). I'm sure the Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

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Historically, in exchange for a negotiated peace is fragile.
I will be back again on your site to read more as you have done .

The Israeli government is after all engaged in very public negotiations with Syria. In fact the Israeli military is one of the chief advocates of trying to negotiate a deal with Syria.

His promise of pulling troops from Iraq is laughable.The Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

What were McCain's comments that attacked the advisor? It's rather difficult to make the point that McCain is wrong without including them.

The liberal media allows more than the Democrats fair share of blathering on issues ranging from defense provision to health care. The bottom line is when Barack Obama receives his first classified daily security briefing.

The Obama campaign swiftly announced that Mr Malley "has no formal role in the campaign and he will not play any role in the future...

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His promise of pulling troops from Iraq is laughable.I'm sure the Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

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When Barack Obama receives his first classified daily security briefing; he too will understand why the U.S. Military went to Iraq and is still there. His promise of pulling troops from Iraq is laughable.

The Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

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His promise of pulling troops from Iraq is laughable.I'm sure the Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

The liberal media allows more than the Democrats fair share of blathering on issues ranging from defense provision to health care.

His promise of pulling troops from Iraq is laughable.I'm sure the Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

I guess to the McCain campaign, anyone that calls for peace through negotiations instead of "peace" through war is asking to be attacked..

They have denied possessing weapons of mass destruction, they've also denied harboring any senior members of the Iraqi leader. The US administration says they have evidence to the contrary.

I'm sure the Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate,since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

McCain campaign, anyone calls for peace through negotiations instead of "peace" through war is asking to be attacked.

I thought Iranians was thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

His promise of pulling troops from Iraq is laughable.I'm sure the Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

I know the Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

I support Obama.I think he will win.

The Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

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They've denied harboring any senior members of the Iraqi leader. They have also denied possessing weapons of mass destruction.The US administration says they have evidence to the contrary.

The Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

The bottom line is when Barack Obama receives his first classified daily security briefing; he too will understand why the U.S. Military went to Iraq and is still there.

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The bottom line is when Barack Obama receives his first classified daily security briefing; he too will understand why the U.S. Military went to Iraq and is still there.

The Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

They can apply a lot of pressure other than military--than the military action..they're a long way away from it.

The Iranians are thrilled with the Democrats choice for candidate, since they will fill the vacuum if he is indeed foolish enough to pull out before Iraq can defend itself.

Assad recently had a very public meeting with Olmert and Sarkozy at the Mediterranean Conference where Olmert expressed hope that negotiations would develop.

McCain is attacking Kurtzer for being an appeaser, means that McCain also thinks that the Israelis are Chamberlin-like appeasers.

I think McCain is attacking Kurtzern for being an appeaser, and it doesn't that mean that McCain also thinks that the Israelis are Chamberlin-like appeasers.

Israeli government is all engaged in public negotiations with Syria. In fact the Israeli military is one of the chief advocates of trying to negotiate a deal with Syria.

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