John Kerry in the Middle East

[whometense]

US Democratic Senator and former presidential contender John Kerry (L) meets with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. Kerry urged his rival in the 2004 elections, President George W. Bush , to kindle a dialogue with Iran and Syria in a bid to stabilize Iraq .(AFP/Amro Maraghi)
AFP via Yahoo! News - 39 minutes ago




U.S. senator John Kerry (L) meets with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the Al Itahedeya Palace in Cairo December 14, 2006. REUTERS/Stringer (EGYPT)

[whometense]

1. And the first story, from Reuters:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061214/pl_nm/egypt_kerry_dc_3

Senator Kerry urges dialogue with Iran, Syria

19 minutes ago

U.S. Senator John Kerry, the Democratic candidate for the presidency in 2004, said on Thursday the U.S. administration should talk to Syria and Iran.

Kerry also told reporters in Cairo he believed U.S. policy in the Middle East was in trouble, partly because the United States had failed to listen to people in the region.

He cited Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's advice in 2002 that a U.S. invasion of Iraq would lead to disaster. "Frankly, more people should have listened to him," he said after talks with Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif.

"It's very important for countries to talk to each other, even when you disagree. We have serious differences with Syria right now, we have serious differencess with Iran, but you can't begin to resolve those differences if you're not willing to try to understand.. I think it's important to begin a discussion," said Kerry, a Massachusetts senator...

[blm]

3. Expect the "Kerry is a traitor" voices to pop up again. Even though ISG panel agrees

with Kerry.

[karynnj]

14. There were some Bush allies criticising Bill Nelson going to Syria

Nelson is also on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

[blm]

2. What a difference - media gave little coverage when he did this in Jan 2005.

They were still in Bush IS God mode.

I really want to hear what he says about his meeting with Pres Bashir al-Assad of Syria. I really believe that AGAIN is the key meeting. Will Bush refuse to hear what was said...AGAIN?

[Cameron27]

4. What a difference when an actual

diplomat shows up in the ME.

Hey shrub, the joke's on you now.

[whometense]

6. Too sadly true. n/t

[whometense]

5. A few more pictures,

in case you've forgotten what a serious and competent adult who is qualified to be president is supposed to look like.

[blm]

7. Someone posted McCain in Iraq pics - you should post these as contrast

in that thread.

[whometense]

8. You mean like these?

What a lineup.



U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-Connecticut), 3rd right, speaks during a joint press conference with Senator John McCain (R-Arizona), far left, Senator Susan Collins (R- Maine), 2nd left, Senator Mark Kirk (R-Illinois), 3rd left, Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), 2nd right and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), far right, in Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 14, 2006. Lieberman said the group had met with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and urged him to break his ties with anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and disarm his Mahdi Army militia. (AP Photo/Sabah Arar, Pool)




Republican US Senator John McCain from Arizona speaks during a press conference in Baghdad. Some of Washington's most influential senators have added their voices to the heated debate on US strategy in Iraq with a call for the United States to send in more than 15,000 extra troops. Photo:Sabah Arar/AFP

[blm]

9. heh - you must add the Lieberman ones, too.

what a group. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2917966

[NewYorkerfromMass]

10. I actually think Joe looks good

while McCain looks absolutely terrible- NOT presidential.
And Suzy looks terrified to be there. The rest of the GOP guys look like kids- totally out of place.
And of course, Kerry looks the most Presidential of all of 'em.

[beachmom]

11. Actually, guys, I think the issue is that they're in Iraq.

I'm sure Sen. Kerry will have a fairly grim look on his face, too, the situation there is so dire.

[blm]

12. I think it is because they don't have serious solutions in Iraq and that they

look unserious in the photos, even while portraying themselves as a serious group.

[Blaukraut]

15. Who are these slobs?

They look like they just rolled in from a baseball game. This is how they represent the US at a press conference?

[Jack from Charlotte]

16. Note the feet planted flatly on the floor................

It's considered an insult in Arab culture, I've read, to show the bottom of one's shoe to the other parties in a room. Watch the AWOL/moron, sometime.

[beachmom]

19. Something tells me Sen. Kerry may be familar with these little

cultural nuances. I heard him once talk about "reading" about Islam. Other than a five bullet memo, I doubt W studies it much.

[blm]

21. I didn't know that. Kerry spent years studying other religions and cultures to learn

how they influence their region's governments.

I read about it in a lengthy 1997 Windsurfer Magazine article about him.

Wouldn't it be advantageous to our nation if ALL senators and congresspeople took required courses in world religions and cultures?

[Blaukraut]

17. Notice the smile on Mubarak's face

He must be so glad to be able to deal with an intelligent statesman like Senator Kerry for a change!

[Olney Blue]

20. Thank you, Senator Kerry. I trust you to speak for me.

:patriot:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

22. Interesting take- so our Senators are standing in for Bush

since he does not represent the majority of Americans (nor did he ever).
Kind of like the "apology" tour.

[Olney Blue]

24. Interesting term- ""apology" tour. I would love to be a fly on the

wall in these meetings! I wonder if Kerry is pointing out that most U.S. citizens
want peace- confirmed by the last election.

[blm]

26. I would assume the region gets our news polls and see that Americans are

just STUCK with an unpopular Bush at this point and want Democrats to take control of policy decisions.

[demdiva]

13. Thank god he's over there!

I feel just a little bit safer today. And seriously, I'm happy that many Senators went to visit Iraq. I only hope that they are honest about what they see, and not seeing what the WANT to see.

[Catchawave]

18. Be safe John Kerry !

:patriot:

[wisteria]

23. The contrast is astonishing. Senator Kerry looks so at easy and

comfortable talking with Mubarak. It even looks like they are enjoying each others company and getting some important business accomplished.
Contrast that with Pres.Bush's trips overseas. He always looks like he can't wait to leave, is argumentative, fumbling for words and appears as though he just belched or needs to.

[zulchzulu]

25. It's amazing how looking at a REAL leader makes you proud of your country

Kerry is certainly letting Mubarak know that most of the US finds Bush incompetent and a danger to the World. At least that's what I hope he is saying.

Things could change soon in the Middle East for the better if we let people like Kerry pick up the broken pieces and put them back together again.