Washington 'snubbed Iran offer'

[NashVegas]

Iran offered the US a package of concessions in 2003, but it was rejected, a senior former US official has told the BBC's Newsnight programme.

Tehran proposed ending support for Lebanese and Palestinian militant groups and helping to stabilise Iraq following the US-led invasion.

Offers, including making its nuclear programme more transparent, were conditional on the US ending hostility.

But Vice-President Dick Cheney's office rejected the plan, the official said.

The offers came in a letter, seen by Newsnight, which was unsigned but which the US state department apparently believed to have been approved by the highest authorities.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6274147.stm

[Warren Stupidity]

1. This has been reported from multiple sources.

Why don't we take the administration's own words, plainly spoken, that they had Iran Iraq and North Korea on their short list for regime change as the leading members of the 'Axi of Evil' at face value?

They intend to overthrow the Iranian regime before 1-20-09.

[Supersedeas]

2. when adults act like spoiled children with silver spoons in their....

[Doctor_J]

3. Don't forget Saddam tried to surrender in the weeks before Shock & Awe

War is not a means to an end for Smirk & Co. It is an end in itself.

[TexasLawyer]

13. good point.

[frylock]

4. we already knew that..

we knew about this almost two years ago. Once again, DU is way ahead of the curve.

[LSK]

5. K&R

I also posted it in GD.

[boston bean]

6. Washington 'snubbed Iran offer'

Mods if this was posted previously, my apologies.


Iran offered the US a package of concessions in 2003, but it was rejected, a senior former US official has told the BBC's Newsnight programme.
Tehran proposed ending support for Lebanese and Palestinian militant groups and helping to stabilise Iraq following the US-led invasion.

Offers, including making its nuclear programme more transparent, were conditional on the US ending hostility.

But Vice-President Dick Cheney's office rejected the plan, the official said.




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6274147.stm

[54anickel]

7. GD sonsabitches!!! I found this part interesting....

In return for its concessions, Tehran asked Washington to end its hostility, to end sanctions, and to disband the Iranian rebel group the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq and repatriate its members.

Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had allowed the rebel group to base itself in Iraq, putting it under US power after the invasion.

snip>

"But as soon as it got to the White House, and as soon as it got to the Vice-President's office, the old mantra of 'We don't talk to evil'... reasserted itself."

[boston bean]

8. many interesting parts, like this part

This part:

Offers, including making its nuclear programme more transparent, were conditional on the US ending hostility.

and this part

But Vice-President Dick Cheney's office rejected the plan, the official said.

and this part

One of the then Secretary of State Colin Powell's top aides told the BBC the state department was keen on the plan - but was over-ruled.

"We thought it was a very propitious moment to do that," Lawrence Wilkerson told Newsnight.



Is what got to me.. I just can't imagine it or believe it, on second thought, oh yes I can!!!!

[boston bean]

9. This whole article sort of sounds like the mmmmm Iraqi Survey Group,, ya think.

[MrSlayer]

10. Of course they did. We couldn't attack them otherwise.

And we are going to attack them, it's just a small matter of when.

[boston bean]

11. Don't let the details stop ya, right?

:eyes:

[MrSlayer]

12. Right, they don't give a damn about any of it.

Unless Congress steps in to stop these idiots forthwith, we are going to be in a much bigger world of shit.

[struggle4progress]

14. Ex-Powell aide: Cheney snubbed '03 Iran offer

By The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 01/18/2007 08:18:00 PM MST

London - An Iranian offer to help the United States stabilize Iraq and end its military support for Hezbollah and Hamas was rejected by Vice President Dick Cheney in 2003, a former top State Department official told the British Broadcasting Corp.

The U.S. State Department was open to the offer, which came in an unsigned letter sent shortly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Lawrence Wilkerson, former Secretary of State Colin Powell's chief of staff, told the BBC in a program that aired Wednesday night. But Wilkerson said Cheney vetoed the deal.

"We thought it was a very propitious moment" to strike a deal, Wilkerson said. "But as soon as it got to the White House, and as soon as it got to the vice president's office, the old mantra of 'We don't talk to evil' ... reasserted itself." ...

Iran also offered to increase the transparency of its nuclear program, he said ...

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_5041166

[CountAllVotes]

15. speak Cheney speak

if you know how to speak THE TRUTH!

:kick: & recommend!