Book With John McCain Foreword Has Ironic Passage
I’m currently reading a book published in 2002 called, “Unfinished Business” by Harlan Ullman. The book has a foreword by Senator John McCain, the current republican pod person.
I didn’t have to get very far before I found a passage that is relevant to the controversial debate of “negotiating with terrorists”. President Bush chose to use his visit to Israel to imply that those who negotiate with our enemies are appeasers. He went as far as labeling our enemies as “terrorists” a term he likes to use to confuse and scare Americans who have been scarred for life by the September 11th tragedy.
In his book, Ullman, while explaining George HW Bush’s foreign policy credentials writes of two Republican presidents who chose to negotiate with the enemy:
«In June 1985, Reagan’s third national security adviser, Robert (Bud) McFarlane, attempted to create a strategic opening to Iran. In a draft National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) titled “U.S. Policy toward Iran”, McFarlane proposed a dialogue with Iran. To demonstrate American intent, a transfer of U.S. arms was part of the package. McFarlane, a veteran of NSC service when Henry Kissinger held the job, envisaged the Nixon administration’s opening to China as a strategic model for dealing with Iran. Secretary of State George Schultz and Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger strongly objected, to the point of condemning the idea. After all, Iran was a terrorist state. And Reagan had pledged never to deal with terrorists. Despite these warnings and contradictory policy aims, the White House proceeded with the overture.”» (pages 15-16)
So, in a book foreworded by the current Republic Nominee there is direct evidence that both Nixon and conservative diety Reagan have participated in highly difficult negotiations with governments considered “enemies” and “terrorists”.
Both Democrats and Republican leaders have to do this from time to time whether they like it or not. The comments made by George W. Bush and echoed recently by McCain are just another way of swiftboating Obama and painting him out to be some sleeper agent for our enemies. Only I don’t think Americans are going to fall for their lies and distortions again.
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