Clinton sees hope of fresh Mideast initiative

[ProSense]

Clinton sees hope of fresh Mideast initiative

By Chrystia Freeland and Edward Luce
Updated: 7:12 p.m. ET Sept. 19, 2006

President Clinton, whose annual conference, the Clinton Global Initiative, begins in New York on Wednesday, said the deteriorating situation in Iraq and Afghanistan and the aftermath of the war in Lebanon had created the conditions for "some kind of positive movement to take place."

Snip...

In a wide-ranging interview, President Clinton offered a subtle but cogently-presented rebuttal of the Bush administration's approach to foreign policy saying that rising global resentment towards the US could mostly be overcome by a change in the US administration's attitude towards those feeling the resentment. President Clinton said that people around the world could disagree with particular policies the US pursued but still feel goodwill towards America if they felt it held their ultimate interests at heart.

"If you run a big country that has to make controversial decisions - people can't possibly agree with your decisions all the time, then you must bend over backwards to make sure they feel that at least you care about them, you know about their concerns and that you're pulling for them. Policy is important. But attitude is also important."

Snip...

President Clinton offered clear advice for Democratic candidates seeking to counter Republican arguments on national security. He said it did not matter if Democratic candidates recommended differing strategies for how to change course in Iraq - whether it was setting a deadline for withdrawal of US troops, as some, such as John Kerry, the losing 2004 presidential candidate had proposed, or altering the military and civil reconstruction strategy in Iraq without setting a deadline for pulling out, as President Clinton has argued.

"The point is that Americans will tolerate Democratic differences on Iraq because the current situation has not worked," he said."The Democrats can have differences on this but they won't win the election just by criticising Iraq."

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14905804

Bush recommits to Mideast peace

by Olivier Knox 1 hour, 10 minutes ago

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - US President George W. Bush recommitted himself to the Middle East peace process on the eve of a meeting with embattled Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060919/pl_afp/unassemblyusbush_060919222127

Bush, Clinton have chance encounter at U.N.

1 hour, 1 minute ago

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - You never know who you might run into at the
United Nations.

President George W. Bush found that out on Tuesday with a chance encounter with his predecessor,
Bill Clinton.

Bush clapped his arm over Clinton's shoulders and pulled Iraqi President Jalal Talibani over for a three-way chat.

"It was unplanned, unexpected. When you see another president standing nearby, the proper thing to do is to go over and say 'hi'," said White House spokesman Tony Snow.

He said it was a brief and "very nice, very pleasant conversation."

Bush was just leaving a luncheon with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Clinton was there for an AIDS funding conference.

Despite being from different political parties, Clinton and Bush's father, former President George Bush, have been close since joining forces to help victims of the South Asia tsunami.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060919/us_nm/un_bush_clinton_dc_1

Clinton should stop trying to portray Bush in a positive light while aiming criticisms at Democrats. Why is he making rosy predictions less than two months before the election when everyone know Bush is in no position to do any such thing, and will only continue lying?

[karynnj]

1. I'm not completely sure what he is saying

on Iraq. I'm not sure if it's the article or Clinton, but I find it hard to follow what he is recommending on Iraq. I agree I'm surprised that 50 days out from an election, he says that something positive can happen in the next 60 days.

If something REAL and positive happened that saved lives in the next 60 days, that would be great - even if it saved a lot of Republican seats. Suggesting - while denying inside knowledge - that something good could happen is different - it doesn't impact the problem and it could make Democrats and Independents who trust him more comfortable with Bush's policy.

From the link:
"While emphasising that he had no "insider knowledge", President Clinton said: "All these bad news stories have created a sense that if we don't want further disintegration to occur then we had better come up with a strategy that goes forward in creating a new sense of order that enables everybody to live together. I'm not sure you won't see some positive things come out of the Middle East in the next 60 days."

This suggests that he thinks the administration has or will have a strategy. I agree we need one - many Democrats have made the point that we don't have a viable strategy.

As Kerry says, "It is immoral for old men to send young Americans to fight and die in a conflict without a strategy."

[Totally Committed]

2. Just as a request:

Could we say WHICH Clinton in the subject lines here from now on?

I know to some, there is no difference between Hillary and Bill, but to me and those like me... they are seperate entities most of the time, and should remain so.

I realize you simply used the title of the article, but a (Bill) in the title line would have been helpful. Thanks!

TC