During the debate this evening, Barack Obama attempted to use Dr. Henry Kissinger’s statements on Iran against John McCain. He tried to claim that Kissinger supported unconditional talks with Iran while McCain opposes such action. Someone should’ve told Henry Kissinger:
Henry Kissinger believes Barack Obama misstated his views on diplomacy with US adversaries and is not happy about being mischaracterized. He says: “Senator McCain is right. I would not recommend the next President of the United States engage in talks with Iran at the Presidential level. My views on this issue are entirely compatible with the views of my friend Senator John McCain. We do not agree on everything, but we do agree that any negotiations with Iran must be geared to reality.”
As for Obama’s claim that no one’s talking about presidential-level discussions without “preparations” (whatever that means), how does he explain this from the CNN/YouTube debate from last July?
QUESTION: In 1982, Anwar Sadat traveled to Israel, a trip that resulted in a peace agreement that has lasted ever since.
In the spirit of that type of bold leadership, would you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?
COOPER: I should also point out that Stephen is in the crowd tonight.
Senator Obama?
OBAMA: I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them — which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration — is ridiculous.
So Obama said he would meet unconditionally with the leaders of Iran and other hostile nations in the first year. Not much time for, er, “preparations” now is there?
27. September 2008 at 12:28 am
Since Hussein O was poorly prepared, well anyway he doesn’t know anything about any subject, for the debate after months of preparation what would he do to prepare to talk to the murdering dictators of the world, try to spend his stated ten years as POTUS. He didn’t even know the name of the soldier on the braclet he wears for political purposes, because he doesn’t care about any American soldier. Hussein is like a spoiled little brat, it’s all Me, Me, Me. Dumb is dumb and stupid is stupid but being both (Hussein) is a shame.
27. September 2008 at 5:20 am
As soon as others stomped him about it, Obama has made it clear that he would sit down without preconditions but not without thinking that the talk would result in resolving an issue.
Talks can only be fruitful if BOTH sides are prepared to make concessions. Everything else would be stupid and naive. However, anyone who has seen more than half a minute of any Obama appearance would agree that this guy may not be in the same camp as oneself but he is definitely not naive. And the debate showed this, as well.