Kerry Kowtows to Despots and Islamists

Thu, Jan 13, 2005 at 4:39:25 pm PST

Fresh from his whirlwind tour of Arab dictatorships in Syria, Jordan, Kuwait, and Egypt, John Kerry wants us to know that they are very frustrated with US policies.

CAIRO (Reuters) - Middle East countries are frustrated by U.S. policy in Iraq and feel too little is being done to end violence there, U.S. Senator John Kerry said on Wednesday on a visit to the region.

Kerry repeatedly criticized the Bush administration’s Iraq policy during his failed bid to win the U.S. presidency from George W. Bush, who led the invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.

“All of the countries of the region have a significant stake in the outcome and yet they are frustrated,” Kerry said in Cairo, where he met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

“They are frustrated because they don’t feel that the steps necessary to be able to advance the stability of Iraq are really being taken,” he said.

ArabicNews.com says Kerry “admitted the US committed terrible mistakes,” in a meeting with the Grand Imam of Al Azhar University: Kerry to Al Azhar Grand Imam: Washington commited terrible mistakes in Iraq.

Meantime, Kerry admitted that the US committed terrible mistakes in Iraq. During a meeting on Wednesday with grand Imam of Al Azhar Mohamad Sayed Tantawi, Kerry regretted the difficult conditions in Iraq.

The Grand Imam urged all Iraqis to take part in the coming elections to be held on January 30. On his part, Kerry appreciated Al Azhar’s prestigious position all over the world, pointing out that there was a common ground between Islam and Christianity.

The Grand Imam of Al Azhar is on record supporting suicide bombing as a legitimate form of “resistance” against “occupiers.”

He has also said that suicide attacks against coalition forces in Iraq are permitted under Islamic law.

Are these some of “the steps necessary to be able to advance the stability of Iraq?”

I am now feeling an immense sense of relief that John Kerry is not President of the United States.