Rivals criticise dean for Mideast comments
Howard Dean came under fire yesterday from two rivals for the Democratic nomination for saying the United States should not "take sides" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Five days after Dean told supporters in New Mexico that "it's not our place to take sides" in the conflict, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.) accused him of advocating a "major break" from the United States' long-standing policy of explicitly siding with Israel in the Middle East.
Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.) said: "It is either because he lacks the foreign policy experience or simply because he is wrong that governor Dean has proposed a radical shift in United States policy towards the Middle East. If the president were to make a remark such as this it would throw an already volatile region into even more turmoil."
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In an interview, Dean sought to clarify his statement but did not back down from his belief that the United State cannot negotiate peace unless it is seen as a neutral party in the region. "Israel has always been a longtime ally with a special relationship with the United States, but if we are going to bargain by being in the middle of the negotiations then we are going to have to take an evenhanded role," he said.
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He is absolutely right and finally there is a candidate who is advocating we pull back from our way too close relationship with the Theocracy of Israel and start tackling this issue in a fair way to both sides rather then give in to everything Israel wants.
This is sound foreign policy which is our presidents primary job. he deserves the nomination above everyone else in the field. Until we start giving the Palestinians the respect and consideration they deserve rather than the constant billshitting, there will never be peace over there.