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Kissinger Backs Direct Talks 'Without Conditions' with Iran

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September 15, 2008 6:16 PM

ABC News' Rachel Martin Reports: Former U.S.Secretary of State Henry Kissinger today told an audience in Washington, DC that the U.S. should negotiate with Iran "without conditions" and that the next President should begin such negotiations at a high level.

The former Nixon and Ford U.S. Secretary of State early in the year indicated his belief that the U.S. should hold direct talks with Iran when speaking to Bloomberg Television.

Kissinger spoke at a CNN sponsored forum at George Washington University along with other former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright, James Baker III, Warren Christopher and Colin Powell. The leaders were asked to pinpoint the major challenges the next president will face around the world and to offer advice about how to handle those critical issues. The secretaries named the fight against terrorism, restoring America's reputation abroad , re-building the country's economic power, and global climate change as a top priority.

When asked what specifically should be done to repair America's reputation and standing in the world, Powell, Baker and Albright all immediately said "close Guantanamo," referring to the U.S. detention facility. Powell added, "and I think that's something we all agree on."

While there was little direct talk about the presidential campaign itself, Madeleine Albright reiterated her endorsement of Barak Obama. Jim Baker expressed his support for John McCain. When asked who he is supporting, Colin Powell said he has great respect for both candidates but he's waiting to watch the debates before he makes up his mind.

September 15, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (106)

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Those who said that Palin is going to be the worse VP pick ever are going to be proved right. 50 days in politics is a long time....

Posted by: jim | Sep 15, 2008 6:59:26 PM

Well....curious indep?

outta here now? Sorry to be "uppity" and suggest you learn to research and spell properly...how presumptuous of me.

Posted by: karronna | Sep 15, 2008 7:00:53 PM

He must have been listening to my posts and Ron Paul. I believe Obama also originally held this position. Warmongerers are going down baby!

Posted by: Ben Straub | Sep 15, 2008 7:02:25 PM

karronna,

It isn't even today ...


CQ TODAY MIDDAY UPDATE
Sept. 9, 2008 – 11:56 a.m.
Today in Washington
Edited by Martha Angle and Frank Oliveri
The House

votes on several bills, including a veterans’ cost-of-living adjustment, a bill addressing reservist pay for House employees and a GAO employees’ cost-of-living adjustment.
The Senate

resumes consideration of the defense authorization bill.
The President

meets with Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne , for lunch; visits wounded military personnel at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
In Washington,

five former secretaries of state join a bipartisan roundtable discussion to assess the U.S. foreign policy challenges that confront the next administration. Participant include James A. Baker III, Warren Christopher, Henry A. Kissinger, and Colin L. Powell. George Washington University, Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. N.W., at 4:30 p.m.

Posted by: Julian | Sep 15, 2008 7:03:33 PM

My gosh. So many factual errors, it's hard to pick which ones to correct! FIRST, McCain is NOT losing ground; his bounce lasted longer than Obama's! Second, Palin has not lied about anything - every single thing she supposedly "said" has been shown incorrectly attributed to her. Thanks to those who corrected ABC on what Mr. Kissinger actuallyl said. Last, McCain has NEVER demanded Obama admit he was wrong about the surge ... that was O'Reilly. People, please get your facts straight before you vote!

Posted by: laura | Sep 15, 2008 7:05:07 PM

More folks falling in line behind Obama on foreign policy. So McCain was right on the surge but Obama is on top of everything else. What should voters conclude from that?

http://www.political-buzz.com/

Posted by: matt | Sep 15, 2008 7:05:42 PM

Based on their suggestions, it seems pretty obvious that they should endorse Obama if they all put "country first".

Posted by: chris | Sep 15, 2008 7:06:22 PM

Don't call Henry a Republican. The Party left him long ago.

Posted by: abcblogger | Sep 15, 2008 7:07:45 PM

Actually, the media's desperation is an index of how bad shape Obama's in. It saves us a lot of efforts to analyze polls.

Posted by: Julian | Sep 15, 2008 7:08:18 PM

Posted by: jackie | Sep 15, 2008 7:12:14 PM

Henry Kissinger is a Republican abcblogger your a far right wing nutzy whacko Conservative sh*t for brains.

Posted by: QuicksdrawMcGraw | Sep 15, 2008 7:17:06 PM

julian...do you get points from the McCain website for uninformed blog posts...here is the link to the event. It was today at GWU at 4:30 pm Eastern.
http://www.gwu.edu/~media/pressrelease.cfm?event_id=14261

FIVE FORMER SECRETARIES OF STATE JOIN BIPARTISAN ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION TO ASSESS U.S. FOREIGN POLICY CHALLENGES CONFRONTING NEXT ADMINISTRATION

Madeleine K. Albright; James A. Baker, III; Warren Christopher; Henry A. Kissinger; and Colin L. Powell Join Forum at GW on "The Next President: A World of Challenges"

Journalists Frank Sesno and Christiane Amanpour Will Moderate Roundtable To Air on CNN

EVENT:

Five former Secretaries of State - Madeleine K. Albright; James A. Baker, III; Warren Christopher; Henry A. Kissinger; and Colin L. Powell - will participate in a roundtable discussion on the challenges confronting the new administration at a public forum entitled "The Next President: A World of Challenges." The event will be moderated by Frank Sesno, director of The George Washington University's Public Affairs Project and CNN special correspondent, and Christiane Amanpour, CNN chief international correspondent.

***Send an iReport with your question for one of the secretaries to CNN. Entries may be submitted online at www.ireport.com/community/assignment under the topic "Challenges of the next president" in the Politics section.***

WHEN:

Monday, Sept. 15, 2008; 3 - 4:30 p.m.
Doors open at 2 p.m. and close at 2:45 p.m.

BROADCAST ON CNN:

Saturday, Sept. 20; 9 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 21; 2 p.m.

Posted by: karronna | Sep 15, 2008 7:21:26 PM

McCain lacks the judgment to be commander in chief. Now his republican friends think he is wrong on Iran.

Posted by: Krista | Sep 15, 2008 7:22:23 PM

So...Laura...what other "facts" would you like to correct me about next...and please be detailed and offer links to back you up...

ah....another sheep ready to be led to the slaughter.

Posted by: karronna | Sep 15, 2008 7:22:55 PM

Now even Kissinger is endorsing Obama's foreign policy judgments. Everybody seems to get it now except for John McCain.

Posted by: hopesprings52 | Sep 15, 2008 7:23:03 PM

Kissinger is an old style conservative.
He doesn't represent the new right wing religious fanatic, NRA, anti choice, ban books, Bible thumping wing of the party.
I find it amusing that Kissinger agrees with Obama on this. Seems McCain and his celebrity VP just can't get it right.

Posted by: Gus | Sep 15, 2008 7:23:06 PM

Kissinger thinks McCain is wrong on Iran.
Greenspan thinks McCain is wrong on taxes.

McCain just can't get it right.

Posted by: Gus | Sep 15, 2008 7:24:47 PM

Wellll.GOSH Laura...where are all the factual errors?

outta here now and on to troll with some other vapid statement on a different blog?

Posted by: karronna | Sep 15, 2008 7:26:36 PM

What happened to all the ANTI PALIN stories? Is it POSSIBLE that ABC NEWS TOOK A LOOK AT THE POLL TRENDS AND FINALLY WISED UP? IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEY ARE A LITTLE MORE SAVY THAN THE NY TIMES - WHICH HAD AT LEAST FIVE WELL KNOWN COLUMNISTS POUNDING AWAY AT PALIN IN SUNDAY'S PAPER. GOT A REAL LAUGH IN TODAY'S PAPER ABOUT RICHARD COWEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE REPS "SWIFTBOATING" OBAMA - WITH NO MENTION OF PALIN - OF COURSE. HOW IRONIC IT IS THAT THE NEWS MEDIA WHICH IN GENERAL HAS BELONGED TO OBAMA, COULD BE A MAJOR CAUSE OF HIS DEMISE!!

Posted by: Manitu | Sep 15, 2008 7:27:53 PM

wow...Manitu...off topic a bit?

Can't stand the heat?

Wanna roll it back to the new repub "celebrity'.....we're focused on bigger and better things today...Ms Palin can go right on shooting herself on the foot (or is that collecting those wolf bounty forelegs....)...I digress.

Posted by: karronna | Sep 15, 2008 7:30:53 PM

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