20 June 2003
Hagel Says Allies Are Key To Making Middle East Peace Workable
(Hints at U.S. "security guarantors" for Middle East peace) (680)
By Jim Fisher-Thompson
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- Before leaving to attend the annual meeting of the World
Economic Forum (WEF) in Jordan, Senator Chuck Hagel (Republican of
Nebraska) told a June 19 National Press Club luncheon that U.S.
efforts to bring peace to the Middle East and Iraq had a greater
chance of success if done in a spirit of trust and cooperation with
other nations.
The senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told
journalists that America should not go it alone when trying to solve
conflicts abroad. "Our foreign policy should begin with a recognition
of the responsibility that America shares with its allies for helping
build a hopeful world for the next generation."
And he added, "To build trust and confidence in the world requires a
commitment to alliances and institutions. If the world believes
America is inclined to go it alone when it pleases, then we are less
likely to get the support we need when we need it."
Hagel, a former combat infantryman who was decorated for wounds he
received in Vietnam, noted that his Congressional delegation, led by
Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (Republican of
Indiana) would also make a 14-hour side trip to Iraq where they
planned to visit U.S. forces and assess the effectiveness of the U.S.
occupation.
[Secretary of State Powell also planned to attend the WEF meeting,
held June 21-23 in Amman, as well as a stop to visit troops in Iraq.]
Asked how long he felt U.S. troops would be in Iraq, Hagel responded,
"No one knows. You can't even get a general sense from the
Administration. But I think the American people need to have some
sense of this and of what we are getting into."
One thing was certain, he added, "We're going to continue to take
casualties for some time to come. That is the cold, stark reality of
what we're dealing with. This is a very dangerous situation and we
have to assure the American people that we're not just making this up
as we go."
Hagel said it was important to remember, "Afghanistan, terrorism in
general" and the conflict in the middle East "are all pieces that
connect. This isn't just about one country. It's about an entire
region.
"What kind of progress we make -- and I think we can make progress
with the road map (referring to the Israeli/Palestinian crisis) -- may
require down the road an American presence as security guarantors ...
in Israel and along the West Bank. I mean these are all
possibilities," the politician added.
When asked under what conditions he thought U.S. peacekeepers should
be sent to the Middle East and his opinion of a recent proposal by
Senator John Warner (Republican of Virginia) for "international
peacekeepers to separate Israelis and Palestinians," Hagel said,
"First of all, we cannot go anywhere unless we're invited in that
area.
"Second, we cannot, should not, will not commit American forces to
that area unless there is a peace to secure -- unless there is
something [an Israeli/Palestinian agreement] there. I think eventually
... it's probably going to require some international force," like
NATO. "But certainly it would require American forces because we're
the only ones trusted enough on both sides."
Commenting on whether the U.S. wanted a military blow up with Iran,
Hagel said, "I do not believe the [Bush] Administration is headed
toward military action in Iran. We can be quietly working" with
non-revolutionary forces "in trying to develop more diplomatic
channels. I've said for example, 'why not force an opening in Iran to
some extent through international trade regimes. [Let's] be smart
[and] force the opening of Iran by using world institutions and
regimes like the World Trade Organization (WTO). Don't isolate them.'"
"Clear-eyed, forceful ... straight up, absolute" is the best way "to
deal with these nations," Hagel told his audience.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)
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