1/24/2007

 

Daniel J. McKeown

-------------------------------

San Francisco, CA

 

 

John Edwards

410 Market Street
Suite 400
Chapel Hill, NC 27516

 

Dear Senator Edwards:

 

I found you to be my favored candidate for the 2004 race, and I expected to support you for your upcoming 2008 run as well.  Your presidential campaign announcement speech in New Orleans was an outstanding way to show that your philosophy encompasses the whole life of this country, including its most desperate corners.  I think your work for raising the minimum wage is admirable.  You are one of the very few unabashed purveyors of liberalism left in American politics on domestic issues.

When you admitted that your previous support for the Iraq war had been a mistake, I thought I had seen a positive evolution of your foreign policy views.  But now I am confronted with this (from ynetnews.com by Ronen Bodoni 1/23/2007):  

 

‘Former Senator John Edwards (Dem.) tells Herzliya Conference [via satellite] serious political, economic steps should be taken against Islamic Republic; “in order to ensure Iran never gets nuclear weapons, all options must remain on table,” he says, adding that Syria should be held accountable for its support of Hizbullah, Hamas.

 

"The challenges in your own backyard – represent an unprecedented threat to the world and Israel," said the candidate for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, referring mainly to the Iranian threat.

 

In his speech, Edwards criticized the United States' previous indifference to the Iranian issue, saying they have not done enough to deal with the threat.

 

Hinting to possible military action, Edwards stressed that "in order to ensure Iran never gets nuclear weapons, all options must remain on table."

 

[…]

 

The former senator also said that Syria has been a great source of destabilization in the area, from its support of Hizbullah and Hamas, to its relationship with Iran, and for this it should be held accountable.

 

After opening his speech with great praise for former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Edward's continued to express great appreciation for the Israeli people and the special bond between the two countries, saying it was "a bond that will never be broken."

 

[…]

 

He also said the Palestinian government must know that foreign aid should not be take for granted, and that the US and Europe must do everything possible to make sure the money does not go to terrorists.

 

Until Israel has a real partner, according to Edwards, Israel has the right, and indeed the obligation to defend itself, and should be strengthened militarily, politically, and economically.’

 

Tova Lazaroff at the Jerusalem Post (1/22/2007) adds:

 

‘United States democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Edwards said that stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons "is the greatest challenge of our generation."

At a time when most Democrats in the United States are calling for less military involvement abroad, Edwards, of South Carolina, told the Seventh Annual Herzliya Conference on Monday that his country must do everything that it can to stop Iran from possessing nuclear weapons.’

 

How can you, Mr. Edwards, espouse such bellicose madness?

 

There’s a reason “most Democrats in the United States are calling for less military involvement abroad.”

 

 

                                                                                    Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                    Daniel J. McKeown