Thursday, June 05, 2008

Hagel: 'We Should Engage & Negotiate With Iran' - The Washington Independent - U.S. news and politics - washingtonindependent.com
...SPIEGEL: You would bring back diplomacy? That was certainly not one of the strengths of President George W. Bush.


(Senator Chuck) Hagel (R-Neb): That was a fundamental error. In the end it will be a diplomatic solution that will bring the Iraq war to an end. General David Petraeus has also said that.


SPIEGEL: John McCain clearly places much more emphasis on the military than you do. Are there any further differences?


Hagel: We must engage Iran and reach a point where we can begin to negotiate. I do not see an alternative. What has American involvement accomplished so far? The Middle East is as combustible and as complicated as it has ever been. Our policy has been disastrous. We now must apply all the instruments of power -- diplomatic power is part of that, as is trade and economic development. Certainly the military is a part of that and so is intelligence sharing. We have to build relationships and define common interests. Only then is stability and security possible....

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