George Allen said yesterday that we shouldn't be negotiation with Iran and Syria, even though they are two of the major players in the Middle East, and even though they could be very helpful - or harmful - with regard to the situation in Iraq. Interestingly, the Reagan Administration negotiated with Iran - remember the Iran-Contra Scandal, everyone? That's right, the Reagan Administration conducted extensive negotiations with Iran over hostages and other issues.. Same thing with Syria. For instance:
Syria Confirms Reagan Letter To Assad And Reply
258 words
27 June 1987
The Associated Press
English
(Copyright 1987. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)(AP) _ Syria on Saturday confirmed that President Hafez Assad received and replied to a letter from President Reagan asking, in an apparent move to improve relations, that he receive a special U.S. emissary.
The announcement came from presidential spokesman Jibran Kourieh, who declined to give details of Assad's reply.
It was the first Syrian confirmation of Reagan's letter that the White House said asked Assad to receive a special envoy to discuss Middle East peace efforts, terrorism and foreign hostages abducted in Lebanon, including nine Americans.
Syria's state-controlled news media made no mention of the U.S. announcement Friday that Washington would send an emissary, who was not identified, to travel to Syria to meet with Assad.
American journalist Charles Glass, a former ABC News correspondent seized June 17, was the first foreign kidnap victim since Syrian troops entered Moslem west Beirut Feb. 22 to end fighting between rival militias.
Syria, the chief power-broker in strife-torn Lebanon, has sought to pressure Glass' captors into releasing him.
The United States withdrew William Eagleton, its ambassador in Damascus, last October after Britain broke relations with Syria, saying it was involved in an unsuccessful attempt to plant a bomb aboard an Israeli airliner at a London airport.
A U.S. State Department report in December said attacks by Syrian-supported terrorist groups had killed or wounded nearly 500 people since 1983.
Syria remains on the U.S. State Department's list of countries that support terrorism.
That's right, the Reagan Administration negotiated with a "state sponsor of terrorism." Go figure.
Now, here's former Bush Deputy Secretary of State - and close friend of Colin Powell - Richard Armitage on negotiating with Syria:
...Armitage says a potential solution to the crisis lies in a step the United States has avoided: talking to Syria."I think [the Syrians] want to get involved," Armitage says. "I think they want to become more central to the solution and you might as well give them the opportunity."
"We get a little lazy, I think, when we spend all our time as diplomats talking to our friends and not to our enemies," he adds.
So there you have it. Richard Armitage thinks we should negotiate with Syria. The Reagan Administration had dealings with both Syria and Iran, two "state sponsors of terrorism." If it was good enough for Ronald Reagan, why does George Allen think we shouldn't negotiate with these countries?
Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.
Apparently, the Bush administration has sufficient diplomatic ties with Syria, however, to send terror suspects there for torture (one of them is now proven innocent, after enduring months of hell). Allen supports this kind of crap unquestioningly.
Disgusting cruelty and hypocrisy make me sick.