US News

Clinton: US still willing to talk to Iran

Jul 16, 2009, 0:53 GMT

Washington - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday deplored the crackdown on Iran's election protests but said the United States was still willing to talk to the Islamic state over its nuclear ambitions.

In a foreign policy address in Washington, Clinton said she remains interested in direct dialogue with Iran while acknowledging that the June 12 election and subsequent violence had placed a 'different complexion' on the government in Tehran.

'We really don't know what the intention is,' Clinton said.

She said the Bush administration's refusal to hold direct talks with Iran failed to halt Tehran's sensitive nuclear activities, like uranium enrichment, and a new approach was needed. Clinton said the Bush administration's position allowing the European Union to handle negotiations with Iran amounted to 'outsourcing' US interests.

'We have made it clear that there is a choice for the Iranian government to make,' she said, adding that the US offer of talks will not be on the table indefinitely and that progress needed to be made.

Clinton outlined a broad US agenda in the international arena that included strengthening existing alliances and improving ties with emerging power, just days before she arrives in India and attends a meeting of Southeast Asian nations in Thailand.

Clinton announced her intent to visit Russia and Pakistan in autumn, and placed the fight with the Taliban in Afghanistan as key to defeating al-Qaeda and its leadership, which she said resides across the mountainous border in Pakistan.

President Barack Obama has sought to reach out to the Muslim world to address decades of hostility, and potentially sit down with foes like Cuba, Iran and North Korea to work towards resolving differences. But Clinton cautioned that approach should not be viewed as weakness.

'Our willingness to talk is not a sign of weakness to be exploited,' Clinton said in a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank.

Clinton said that under Obama the United States will employ 'smart power' to advance American interests and confront international challenges. That entails the use of US diplomacy, aid and development and economic power to achieve international goals.

'We will remain clear-eyed about our purpose,' she said. 'Not everybody in the world wishes us well or shares our values and interests.'

Clinton said the United States will step up its effort to prevent the spread of dangerous weapons or nuclear technology and know-how, and is committed to reducing its nuclear arsenal through agreements with Russia.

She emphasized the importance of American leadership in international affairs and said that a fresh approach was needed for the world to tackle the vast, emerging challenges.

'Just as no nation can meet these challenges alone, no challenge can be met without America,' she said.



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SP4: oh yeah...that'll work...Jul 16th, 2009 - 03:05:16

...by now, even the most indoctrinated libnazi must realize the tyranny of bad men (and women)is driving this process. Hillary and Barak (in that order) refuse to acknowledge the glaring facts. This is the world's most powerful nation's leaders, absolutely inured to their own point of view. It makes Robert McNamara look like Henry Kissinger.

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God yourJul 16th, 2009 - 15:21:24

stupid. Robert McNamara was a lot like Henry Kissinger. Please go back to school.

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oh greatJul 16th, 2009 - 15:47:23

The US is willing to enter back into the circle of talks Iran used to buy time for it's nuclear weapons development.

There's change.

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SP4: no godJul 16th, 2009 - 16:22:54

...ignorance is not knowing metaphoric sarcasm from fact...

stupidity is the inability to detect either, properly.

Now run along..the short bus is pulling away.

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SP4: then againJul 16th, 2009 - 16:38:04

...I could be the poor, ignorant, white trash twentysomething above who could not pull a real opinion, about any subject,( except how he just looooves the Jonas brothers,) out of his ass if it had a library stuck up it. Come on monkey boy (yes, we know when it's you) just one kernal of intellect...I know it's a stretch but my one weakness is believing in people.

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@ SP4: then againJul 16th, 2009 - 22:02:26

I do believe that these are the rants of a madman, lets break it down:

'...I could be the poor, ignorant, white trash twentysomething above who could not pull a real opinion, about any subject,( except how he just looooves the Jonas brothers,) out of his ass if it had a library stuck up it.'

Wow, you think this statement even boarders on sane. If so, please explain. You are talking about yourself, except you go into third party? Jonas Brothers, where did that come from? Again with the ass comments, you must have spend a lot of time in prison as caught up as you are with this type of comment.

'Come on monkey boy (yes, we know when it's you) just one kernal of intellect...I know it's a stretch but my one weakness is believing in people.'

Again you talk about 'intellect' but do not show one bit of wit let alone intellect. You again talk to an unknown person in third person, you really need some help on the medication you are taking, I believe it is out of balance. And by the way your weakness is not believing in people, it is thinking you have an IQ above 50. And by the way you actually wrote two paragraphs and only made one spelling error (it is kernel not kernal).

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SP4: that's what I thoughtJul 17th, 2009 - 14:27:51

...nothing more than the insulting tripe you are known for. You're an insult fairey...that is all you have. C'mon monkeyboy, grow a set and tell us one meaningful tidbit.

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Yes, SP4 describes himself, againJul 17th, 2009 - 16:47:46

'...nothing more than the insulting tripe you are known for'
'You're an insult fairey'
'C'mon monkeyboy, grow a set and tell us one meaningful tidbit'

By the way, oh illiterate one, the word is spelled fairy.

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@ SP4: that's what I thoughtJul 17th, 2009 - 20:39:51

'...nothing more than the insulting tripe you are known for. You're an insult fairey...that is all you have. C'mon monkeyboy, grow a set and tell us one meaningful tidbit.'

The only way to address your stupid banter is to insult you and try and shame you into at least try and say something close to intelligent. But no, you are probably a product of public schools and are a glowing example of how the public education system has failed America.

By the way a paperback dictionary only costs around $5 (fairy). Or pay your uneducated children to help you spell, if you have any? God that would be a shame for one of your sorts to be allowed to reproduce.

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SP4: oh heck..that';s OKJul 17th, 2009 - 22:51:30

..because after all that, you still cannot seem to crap a single argument on any meaningful topic. How hard could it be for you to opine or retort on any of the above points?

Apparantly...pretty damn hard.

Run along now monkey boy and retreat into your spellcheck. Bill Gates can always be relied on to prop up your version of an intellect.

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AGAIN, SP talks about himselfJul 18th, 2009 - 00:34:42

'because after all that, you still cannot seem to crap a single argument on any meaningful topic. How hard could it be for you to opine or retort on any of the above points?

Apparantly...pretty damn hard.'

The fool can't even spell apparently correctly.

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