Reply #4: Thanks for fixing the link

[karynnj]

My problem with the article was that headline and the prominence of the Abrams quote likely meant that a huge percent of people read only that point of view. Virtually all of the other points of view which came later in the article, would not justify the headline that Kerry was "soft" on Syria.

There has been an undercurrent of that "soft" POV - often going to calling Kerry a "supporter" or "friend" of Syria in the far right Israeli press that gets picked up by some of our far right.

It is a very dangerous theme because it smears anyone providing diplomatic liaison to countries that are problems. (In Sudan, Syria and Pakistan - that is Kerry.) But, it is precisely with these countries that persuading them that it is in their self interest to behave better that we get an alternative other than war or regime change initiating by us.