Petraeus Urges Diplomacy Towards Iran

Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, President Bush's nominee to lead U.S. forces in the Middle East and Central Asia, supports continued U.S. engagement with international and regional partners to find the right mix of diplomatic, economic and military leverage to address the challenges posed by Iran.

In written answers to questions posed by the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he will testify today, Petraeus said the possibility of military action against Iran should be retained as a "last resort." But he said the United States "should make every effort to engage by use of the whole of government, developing further leverage rather than simply targeting discrete threats."

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Comments

[Naieve]

I wouldn't doubt it if Iran already had a nuclear weapon. They benefited from Paki and NK nuclear tech. They will continue using terrorist proxies to deal out their form of diplomacy from behind a nuclear umbrella. Get used to it people.

[Discipulus04]

oh geez is Petraeus going to be labeled an appeaser too.

war with Iran
an economy that continues to tank
and claiming to support the troops yet refusing to vote for a revamped G.I. Bill

hypocrisy and McCain '08

[Bluejay00234]

My my where is that jacka*s Kevin James when you need him, surly this will add to his "appeasement" argument .

[imusintheevening]

Hey McSamasauros - How does the US accomplish diplomacy without talking to them? Should have tried it with Iraq before helping lie us into war and debt.

[marignymitch]

Hey! HuffPost editors: In the hed the word is 'toward' not 'towards'. We fought a war to escape domination of the Brits.

[atomic]

This is not a good sign ... When the war mongers start talking about diplomacy ... it's always a Trojan Horse ... that way after they attack Iran for some justified reason they can claim they were all about working it out ... they are the good guys who had no choice but to attack ... I hate these people. Remember Bush saying war would be the last resort .... meanwhile he was already bombing Iraq and fabricating reasons to invade .... with the help of the corporate media of course.

[ErnestineBass]

Rumor has it aides to Dick Cheney had EMTs on hand when they read Petraeus' statement to "Shooter".

[GBecker]

Well, whaddya know! Not that Chimpie will listen a he doesn't listen to anything except the voices in his teeny brain. But, good for you, General.

Not everybody in Bushco is a total idiot after all.

[joebhed]

Diplomacy? What diplomacy?
Usually you need diplomats for diplomacy.
Where are the US diplomats to Iran?

Let's face it.
The P will say whatever is necessary and do whatever is necessary to get confirmed so that he can do whatever the neocons think is necessary to prevent the Iranians from getting the necessary system in place to develop the necessary nuclear detente with Israel.
Like bomb the shit out of Iran's legal, inalienably-righted uranium enrichment facilities.
Petraeus.
Yeah, sure, new game plan - SAY diplomacy-R-us.

[Muzikal203]

Seems to me the administration has been making quite a few foreign policy decisions based on the very principles it criticized Obama as naive for.

[harriscrl3]

Diplomacy towards Iran? where have I heard that before Oh right months and months ago when Obama was Crticize to even suggest it. Obama must be psychic because his predictions are coming thorough and his ideas are being embraced more and more by experts. I wonder if he can see if McBush makes it to the White HOuse so that I can pack my bags I want to get a jump start before the Candadians close their borders with the floodgates that will happen.

Obama has sound judgement McCain has senilty and anger issues.

Carol

[thepoliticalcat]

Ohmigod, the TRAITOR!!! Quick, charge him with appeasement. Fire him. Jail him. Throw the book at him. Somebody tell the White House!

Jeeze, what a bunch of fucking pinheads.

[ApolloniaCreed]

Is it appropriate to compare him to Neville Chamberlain now?

[mergina]

Like bush is going to listen. He is like a spoiled brat with a sheriff outfit on...ugh!

[trollsbwild]

I fully agree with Dave's statements, but they are a contradiction to Bush's comments last week in Israel. Guess he will be fired.

[ajax2]

John McCain can't win for losing. first Gates, then, Baker, then Israel, and now Petraeus calling for diplomacy. John one more flip flop, you're out on the limb with Bush the warmonger.

[littlepuffycloud]

Looks like he finally has seen the writing on the wall....Obama will win by a landslide and Petreaus will lose his big muckety muckness when we get the hell out of Iraq.
I don't trust this man. He just wants to be in the action when corporate generals play with tanks.

[CookieCrunch]

sounds like really smart thinking to me.

[suekzoo]

Well..well..well. The good General is joining the ranks of the rest of the American appeasers... Colin Powell, Brent Scowcroft, Lee Hamilton, Madeleine Albright, Howard Baker, among others. At least he's in good company.

[JadedAggie]

lol General Patraeus is an appeaser I guess.

[filo]

Ya beat me to it ! lmao

[Charmed]

Sounds like Obama isn't as naive as McCain wants to paint him. Obama was right about what would happen if we went to war and he's right about diplomacy.

[axt113]

I just hope the clinton supporters get the message, new polls are out showing that its only because so many are siding with mcSame that he's behind in FL and Ohio

[AnnieinOR]

Ya HEAR that McSame, GWB, Cheney and HILLARY CLINTON ?????

D I P L O M A C Y from a GENERAL!!!!!!! PAY ATTENTION!

[marymansour]

All of these sensible people are falling in line behind Obama's suggestion of holding out carrots rather than sticks to nations that oppose us. I hope the super delegates get this message of hope and roll toward Obama.

[thepoliticalcat]

Well, as anybody who hasn't spent their life sucking off the government teat (Cheney) or living on their daddy's money (Bush) knows, when you need to get things done, you offer people incentive to do them as well as penalties for failing to perform. That's what performance reviews and mission statements and goal setting and career plans are all about.

Of course the pinheads in charge couldn't possibly know that because they've never done an honest day's work in their lives.