Engagement Is a Constant in Kerry's Foreign Policy

[kskiska]

Sunday, March 21, 2004; Page A01

When President Bill Clinton referred to the United States as "the indispensable nation" during his second inaugural address in 1997, and then as other U.S. officials picked up the term, Sen. John F. Kerry recoiled. He turned to his longtime foreign policy aide Nancy Stetson to ask, "Why are we adopting such an arrogant, obnoxious tone?"

Kerry, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has repeatedly slammed President Bush for what he calls a "go-it-alone" foreign policy. The line of attack comes naturally. Throughout his nearly 20 years in the Senate, the Massachusetts Democrat has expressed a deep commitment to negotiation and international institutions as a way to advance U.S. interests, according to interviews with the candidate and his aides and a review of his speeches, floor statements and votes.

Over the years, Kerry has pushed engagement with the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, the communists in Vietnam and the mullahs who run Iran. He faulted President George H.W. Bush for assembling a Persian Gulf War coalition that amounted to a "pax Americana," and has criticized the incumbent president for bungling the war in Iraq by failing to enlist the United Nations and key allies in the enterprise.

Kerry's father, a longtime State Department diplomat, taught him "the benefit of learning how to look at other countries and their problems and their hopes and challenges through their eyes, to a certain degree, at least in trying to understand them," Kerry said. "We don't always do that that well. We often tend to see other people in the context of our history, our own hopes, our own aspirations."

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11541-2004Mar20.html

[blm]

1. See...sounds just like Bush.....

NOT.

Thank undergod a reporter actually STUDIED Kerry's speeches and positions over the years and BOTHERED to put them in context.

[rockymountaindem]

2. Yet more evidence that the State Dept. makes the Defense Dept. look like

a bunch of goons.

"Kerry's father, a longtime State Department diplomat, taught him "the benefit of learning how to look at other countries and their problems and their hopes and challenges through their eyes, to a certain degree, at least in trying to understand them," Kerry said. "We don't always do that that well. We often tend to see other people in the context of our history, our own hopes, our own aspirations."

As an aspiring State Dept. employee and hopeful diplomat, hats off to Mr. Kerry Sr.

[blm]

3. Kerry has actually STUDIED the cultures and religions of other nations.

Anyone who thinks his policies will be the same as Bush's or even Clinton's is purposefully spreading disinformation.

[Classical_Liberal]

4. Ok but I sill have no idea what his foriegn policy is

What is it. What is he going to do about Iraq? What about I/P?

[Skittles]

5. yet he voted for IWR

I just cannot reconcile this

[blm]

6. Try.

.

[Skittles]

7. we all knew what Clarke said was true before the war

Kerry must have known to yet he voted yes. I cannot understand it; I find it indefensible.

[blm]

8. Kerry voted for full diplomacy measures with war as last resort.

Keep blaming Kerry instead of blaming Bush for breaking his promise of diplomacy.

If Bush had implemented the resolution and allowed full weapons inspections, then there would have been no need for use of force to disarm Iraq.

Keep blaming Kerry.

Sorry that is all you took from the article's accounting of Kerry's longheld personal views on foreign policy. Sad, actually.

[Skittles]

9. there is no reason to insult me

anyone who voted for that piece of SHIT IWR has BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS. He voted for the biggest foreign blunder in American history, one that is getting people KILLED DAILY.