Monday, May 3, 2004
BBC NEWS | UK | Politics | US diplomats launch Bush attack by John Leyne
The letter is similar to one written by 52 two former British diplomats to the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair last week.
The former US diplomats complained that President Bush's policy is losing the US credibility, prestige and friends.
They criticised what they say is Washington's unabashed support for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
They cite Mr Sharon's policy of extra-judicial assassinations and what the diplomats describe as Israel's Berlin Wall-like barrier.
The American diplomats say they were deeply concerned by Mr Bush's endorsement last month of Mr Sharon's plan to withdraw unilaterally from Gaza.
One former diplomat, who is still considering whether or not to sign the letter, said that as a result of the policy, "We're not the good guys any more."
Those in the Bush administration who do support Mr Sharon might well point out that the state department has always been a more sceptical supporter of Israel.
Mr Sharon himself has always made a point of dealing directly with the White House.
Names please. Nostradamus prediction: Former State Department Arabists (is there any other kind?), etc...I suspect this will be less damaging for George Bush than a similar note was for Tony Blair (if that was damaging at all). In fact, maybe it will serve to out a few people - cards on the table as it were. We shall see.
Update: About what you would expect. Ex-ambassadors to various Arab countries and anti-Administration partisans. Ho-hum.
Ex-US diplomats urge Bush to rethink Israel support
The diplomats, some of whom belong to the American Educational Trust (AET), plan to release the text at a press conference in Washington on Tuesday.
The inspiration was a letter signed by 52 retired British diplomats, who urged British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites) to reconsider Britain's approach to the Middle East.
The letter was circulated here after Bush's April 14 endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites)'s plan for an Israeli withdrawal from all of the Gaza Strip (news - web sites), but only six of 10 West Bank settlements.
Bush, for his part, had said Palestinian refugees could not expect to return to territory their families had occupied before 1948.
"Your unqualified support of Sharon's extra-judicial assassinations, Israel's Berlin Wall-like barrier, its harsh military measures in occupied territories and now your endorsement of Sharon's unilateral plan are costing our country its credibility, prestige and friends," the Financial Times quoted the letter as saying...
"Early responses are staggering," the AET said in a brief statement Monday, adding "signatories are united by their belief that the US government is heading toward great danger."
"Our hope is that both political parties will take heed and listen to the voices of experienced diplomats," it said.
The Financial Times said on April 30 that the letter had been drafted by Andrew Killgore, a former US ambassador to Qatar, and Richard Curtiss, former chief inspector of the US Information Agency.
The newspaper said the missive was to have been sent to the White House on that date, but was held back to allow more former envoys to sign it.
It reported that former ambassadors to Iraq (news - web sites), India, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates had signed the letter.
Bush stunned many Mideast governments with his strong support for Sharon's plan during the Israeli prime minister's visit to Washington last month.
The Washington-based AET is also critical of the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Do ambassadors to Israel go native as often as ambassadors to Arab countries do?
Heheh, The "gone native" thing is exactly what I think of whenever I read a story like this.