Diplomats and military unite in attack on Bushhttp://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentS...StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1086940187246
By Joshua Chaffin in Washington
Published: June 14 2004 5:00 | Last Updated: June 14 2004 5:00
More than two dozen members of the military and diplomatic elites from both US political parties are uniting to launch an assault on the Bush administration's conduct of foreign policy, claiming in a letter to be published this week that it has isolated the nation and calling for the president's defeat in the November election.
The 26-member group, Diplomats and Military Commanders for Change,
includes several appointed to key positions by Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Among them are former ambassadors to Saudi Arabia and the Soviet Union and a former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, as well as retired Marine General Joseph P. Hoar, who commanded US forces in the Middle East under former President Bush.
Their letter, to be published on Wednesday, represents an unusually broad attack on a president in an election year from the ranks of the career diplomats inside the Washington beltway.
It is likely to deepen doubts reflected in recent polls that the nation, under the leadership of President George W. Bush, is on the wrong course.
The White House has until now been forced to deal with such professional dissent mostly from individuals such as Paul O'Neill, the former Treasury secretary, and Richard Clarke, a former senior counter-terrorism official, both of whom wrote books critical of the administration after leaving their jobs.
The broad-based campaign is reminiscent of one launched in April by a group of 52 former British diplomats against Tony Blair, over his Iraq policies. Inspired by this attack, former US diplomats in April signed a letter to Mr Bush protesting against his pro-Israeli stance.
The US group, which includes both Democrats and Republicans, will claim that Mr Bush's unilateral foreign policies - particularly in the Middle East - have alienated long-time allies while increasing hatred for the US around the world.
The group will not formally endorse John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, though several members have done so on their own.
The protest comes after a poll released last week by the Los Angeles Times revealed that
58 per cent of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track - the highest number since Mr Bush took office.
Nonetheless, Mr Bush may be able to blunt the criticism somewhat, as he has recently achieved his greatest success in reaching out to the international community following the divisive decision to go to war in Iraq.
He last week won unanimous approval from the United Nations Security Council for a resolution that recognises a new interim Iraqi government chosen with considerable input from the US.
Mr Bush also secured a series of photographs with foreign leaders during a visit to Europe to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, and at last week's G8 summit in Georgia that aides hope will convince voters of the president's abilities as a statesman.
