Fact Check: Kissinger Defends McCain's I
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| Sat, 09-27-2008 - 10:10am |
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/fact-check-kiss.html
Fact Check: Kissinger Defends McCain's Iran Stance
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September 26, 2008 11:54 PM
ABC News' Kirit Radia Reports: Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger came to the defense of longtime friend Sen. John McCain following Friday's presidential debate saying he "would not recommend the next President of the United States engage in talks with Iran at the Presidential level."
"Senator McCain is right. I would not recommend the next President of the United States engage in talks with Iran at the Presidential level. My views on this issue are entirely compatible with the views of my friend Senator John McCain. We do not agree on everything, but we do agree that any negotiations with Iran must be geared to reality," Kissinger said in statement issued by the McCain campaign.
During the debate, Obama pointed to Kissinger to defend his position because the former secretary of state supports direct talks with high-level Iranians without preconditions. Kissinger does not, however, support the U.S. president personally engaging in those talks, a point which McCain sought to drive home during the debate.
While it appears Kissinger and Senator Barack Obama disagree on what level those talks should occur, they do agree talks should begin, in Kissinger's words, “at a very high level” and without preconditions.
During the debate, McCain said that Kissinger would not endorse Obama's position that he would meet on a presidential level with leaders of enemy countries. "I guarantee you he would not say that," McCain said of Kissinger.
Obama took issue with McCain's characterization of the former top diplomat's position, but just last week Kissinger said that, while he broadly agrees on the need to negotiate with Iran, he "preferred doing it at the secretary of state level."
When asked if high level talks with Iran should begin right out of the box, Kissinger replied "Initially, yes."
According to Obama's official website he supports "direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions."
On preconditions the two appear to agree. Last week Kissinger also said that "I do not believe that we can make conditions for the opening of negotiations."






from factcheck.org
" Kissinger did in fact say a few days earlier at a forum of former secretaries of state that he favors very high-level talks with Iran – without conditions:
Kissinger Sept. 20: Well, I am in favor of negotiating with Iran. And one utility of negotiation is to put before Iran our vision of a Middle East, of a stable Middle East, and our notion on nuclear proliferation at a high enough level so that they have to study it. And, therefore, I actually have preferred doing it at the secretary of state level so that we -- we know we're dealing with authentic...
CNN's Frank Sesno: Put at a very high level right out of the box?
Kissinger: Initially, yes. But I do not believe that we can make conditions for the opening of negotiations. "
plain English on Sept 20: do not believe we can make conditions = without conditions = no preconditions
so now it appears that the disagreement between Obama and McCain is about WHO should be in that discussion: the president or the secretary of state? I thought the disagreement was about preconditions, period. with McCain being against ANY high level discussions that did not have preconditions.
Are you saying he would favor the secretary of state having a discussion with Iran without preconditions?
Bea
Mich
mmm ... not officially.
generally, he is credited with the rise of detente during the Nixon and Ford years - de-escalating tensions between hostile nations through diplomacy and confidence-building measures. while Neville Chamberlain is used as an example of failed diplomacy, Kissinger is used as an example of successful diplomacy that lead to reduced tension with the former Soviet Union and with China.
the Nobel Prize for helping to establish a ceasefire and U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam doesn't hurt.
Bea