Key GOP Senator Bucks Bush, Urges U.S.-Iran Talks

[kpete]

Senators push for U.S.-Iran talks
Diplomacy urged in nuclear dispute

April 17, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Richard Lugar, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and three Democratic colleagues called Sunday for direct U.S. talks with Iran about its disputed nuclear program, in part to address global concerns about energy supplies.

"We need to make headway diplomatically," Lugar of Indiana said on ABC's "This Week" program.

Sens. Evan Bayh of Indiana, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Dianne Feinstein of California also endorsed talks.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said last week that his nation had enriched uranium as a step toward producing electricity.

President George W. Bush's administration has resisted direct talks, saying Iran's program is a front to develop nuclear weapons, and the United Nations Security Council has demanded that Iran halt its program by month's end.

"The Iranians are part of the energy picture," Lugar said. "Their ties with India and China, quite apart from the others, are critical."

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060417/NEWS07/604170403/1009

[saltpoint]

1. It's about time somebody jabbed Dick Lugar awake.

He's running unopposed by any Democrat for the Senate in Indiana and he might as well make himself useful on the Iran strike question.

[bryant69]

2. The pisser is that we sit down from Iran

at some point someone's going to say "So are you guys as serious about these talks as you were about the ones with Iraq?"

Bryant
check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Roland99]

3. In all the Iran/nuclear hubbub were mentions that * doesn't like talking..

to people he doesn't like. He shies away from confrontation which is why he's surround himself with a coterie of yes-men and created a rubber-stamp Congres.