numediaman
May 3, 2004, 10:39 PM
Is two times a trend?
A couple of weeks ago a group of former British diplomats sent a letter to Blair, remember?
Diplomats slam Blair on Mid-East
The diplomats tell Mr Blair he must start to influence President Bush
More than 50 former British diplomats have signed a letter to Tony Blair criticising his Middle East policy.
They urged the prime minister to start influencing America's "doomed" policy in the Middle East or stop backing it.
They had "watched with deepening concern" as Britain followed the US lead in Iraq and Israel and called for a debate in Parliament, they said.
Now a group of 52 retired U.S. diplomats have sent a letter to Bush:
US diplomats launch Bush attack
By Jon Leyne
BBC state department correspondent
Around 50 retired US diplomats have written to President Bush to complain about America's Middle East policy, the Reuters news agency has reported.
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.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3681641.stm
A couple of points: one, these are diplomats -- how do they "attack"? Isn't this the tea and crumpets crowd? Two, don't they know Bush doesn't read?
A couple of weeks ago a group of former British diplomats sent a letter to Blair, remember?
Diplomats slam Blair on Mid-East
The diplomats tell Mr Blair he must start to influence President Bush
More than 50 former British diplomats have signed a letter to Tony Blair criticising his Middle East policy.
They urged the prime minister to start influencing America's "doomed" policy in the Middle East or stop backing it.
They had "watched with deepening concern" as Britain followed the US lead in Iraq and Israel and called for a debate in Parliament, they said.
Now a group of 52 retired U.S. diplomats have sent a letter to Bush:
US diplomats launch Bush attack
By Jon Leyne
BBC state department correspondent
Around 50 retired US diplomats have written to President Bush to complain about America's Middle East policy, the Reuters news agency has reported.
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.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3681641.stm
A couple of points: one, these are diplomats -- how do they "attack"? Isn't this the tea and crumpets crowd? Two, don't they know Bush doesn't read?
