In an interview with NPR yesterday evening Colin Powell had some pretty tough words for the Bush administration. Here’s Powell calling for engagement with Hamas:
I think you’d have to find some way to talk to Hamas. I don’t want to insert myself into what Secretary [of State Condoleezza] Rice is doing or what the president is doing. But they are not going to go away. And we have to remember that they enjoy considerable support among the Palestinian people. They won an election that we insisted upon having. And so, as unpleasant a group as they may be, and as distasteful as I find some of their positions, I think that through the [Middle East Quartet, which consists of the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations] or through some means, Hamas has to be engaged. I don’t think you can just cast them into outer darkness and try to find a solution to the problems of the region without taking into account the standing that Hamas has in the Palestinian community.
12 responses so far ↓
1 Kebz // Jul 19, 2007 at 8:19 am
It’s amazing how these politicians only develop the guts to say the obvious, when they are released from the bondage of office. In office, Powell was instrumental in selling the war to the UN. Others like James Baker and Jimmy Carter, are now making sensible statements, but again, way after they ceased to have any influence on power.
2 Jan Marinus Wiersma MEP // Jul 19, 2007 at 8:22 am
I think that’s a really interesting statement coming from Colin Powell. I attended a conference recently that we organised in the European Parliament with academics and politicians from across the region and the view there was certainly that putting preconditions to agreements has not been helpful - it wasn’t helpful for example to insist that the Palestinians hold free elections and when they did, to not recognise the result. There was also widespread agreement that it’s key to involve Syria much more centrally. More details of the conference at http://www.socialistgroup.eu/gpes/media/documents/44890_44890_napoletano_conference_middle_east_en_070703.pdf
3 Edie // Jul 19, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Kebz is absolutely right. Colin Powell was a great disapointment while in office. I know that Cheney/Rumsfield et al did their best to sideline him, but the public statements he made did nothing to help the situation.
Not only did he hold the line in getting the U.S. to war in Iraq, he made detrimental statements concerning the Israel-Palestinian conflict. There was one press conference after a suicide bombing where he casually dismissed 40 years (60) of events/actions/issues to staunchly state that the problem was not political incompetence but terrorism, terrorism, terrorism. I swore he had Ariel Sharon behind him as a puppet master.
But as Carter and Baker - maybe he’s finding his balls now that he’s a few degrees removed. As more Americans educate themselves about the issues after 9/11, hopefully more and more political leaders will have the guts to do whats right.
4 Sir Fox-a-Lot // Jul 19, 2007 at 4:59 pm
With due respect, Mr. Wiersma, you showed us the wrong link. In Napoletoanos speech: “The negotiation with Syria could have positive consequences not only on the Golan issue and on Hezbollah’s strategies, but it could also have an impact on Hamas.” In the Outcome text [link below]: “In this context the role of and dialogue with Syria is a key factor. Political stability in Lebanon, which can be built neither on violence nor by external influence but rather through internal political dialogue to reinforce the national unity government, should be strengthened.”
Where has Hamas gone? Or where is Hamas in the “Geneva Declaration”?
We have seen plenty of EU-socialists visiting Fatahists in the last weeks and I can remember a few talking about dialogue with Hamas [like germans Rolf Mützenich], but I can not see a change of strategy in the EU or Fatah.
Links: http://www.socialistinternational.org/6Meetings/Council/Geneva-June07/GenevaDeclaration-f.html and http://www.socialistgroup.eu/gpes/media/documents/44983_44982_napoletano_communique_middle_east_en_070703.pdf
5 MrIncognito // Jul 19, 2007 at 6:28 pm
The frequency with which we find people “disappointing” in office but intelligent and insightful out of office probably says a lot more about the nature of political offices than the individuals involved.
If you run a large number of people through the same system and achieve the same result, it’s unreasonable to insist that it’s the failing of the individuals.
6 Quote Of The Day « The Heathlander // Jul 19, 2007 at 7:27 pm
[…] Former U.S Secretary of State Colin Powell, advocating engagement with Hamas (as any remotely sane person would). Filed under: […]
7 Don Cox // Jul 20, 2007 at 10:00 am
Is he also telling Hamas to engage with Israel?
8 greenmamba // Jul 20, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Oh dear, such alternative realities.
Edie: how could Sharon possibly have been Powell’s puppet master? That makes no sense. Israel relies on the US for survival in many ways and it’s obvious that the US pulls the strings.
As for Carter and Baker, I hope you admirers realize that they are Saudi funded; talking about puppet masters.
9 Kebz // Jul 21, 2007 at 7:47 am
Oh dear. How does noting their positive statements on various issues translate into admiration? Why do people insist on reading more into a written statement than there is? What proof do you have that they are Saudi funded anyway - have you looked into their bank accounts?
10 greenmamba // Jul 22, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Kebz: If I provide proof of the Saudi funding, would it change your attitude one iota?
(Baker’s law firm does a lot of work for SA and Carter’s foundation receives a lot of funding from there.)
11 World opinion shifting in favor of Hamas // Jul 28, 2007 at 6:15 pm
[…] toward Hamas as did Massimo D’Alema, Italy’s foreign minister. Colin Powell issued his powerful denunciation of the Bush administration’s policy toward Hamas a week ago on NPR, as did former World Bank […]
12 I guess its time for Jimmy Carter to leave the earth ...-Politics and Government-EOG Sports Betting Forums // Apr 17, 2008 at 11:19 am
[…] Re: I guess its time for Jimmy Carter to leave the earth … Nicolas: Interesting how one of your GOP heroes touted the following: Colin Powell says engage Hamas: Colin Powell says engage Hamas […]
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