Rudy Giuliani met privately today with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and, according to Associated Press, said that as president he would keep U.S. troops in Iraq as long as necessary.
Photographers were allowed in long enough to record the two men sitting in chairs and chatting, but the rest of their meeting was closed, so it's impossible to know exactly what assurances Giuliani gave.
But it's worth remembering these sorts of meetings can come back to hurt candidates who are seen as conducting foreign policy or who end up talking out of school.
The best example was in 2004, when Sen. John Kerry, Democrats' presidential nominee that year, told a group of supporters he had met with leaders who told him they wanted President Bush out of office.
— Stephen Dinan, national political reporter, The Washington Times
Comments (2)
This may be risk Guiliani is willing to take. It will be a challenge to his integrity, maybe something that the American people as well as the Iraqi's are looking for in a time when the nation as well as Iraq are divided. Integrity in lieu of blame may be what it takes to bring this nation together. Don't forget he openly challenged Hillary Clinton to put himself in the spotlight with her. Guiliani is willing to take calculated risks.
Posted by Larry Stone | September 27, 2007 8:11 AM
I don't really think any candidate should meet with any current head of state or foreign leader. Sounds a little too much like counting your chickens before they're hatched. There will be plenty of time to meet with these leaders after you're elected. To do so beforehand sounds a bit overconfident that you're going to win.
However, I also think that having Nancy Pelosi and Dennis Kucinich meeting with world leaders is truly reprehensible and they should at least be censured for doing so, because they do not represent the US State Department or the president. It's about time that politicians are reminded of the Logan Act of 1799, which forbids unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments. What we don't need are several hundred members of Congress all claiming to represent the United States to other heads of state, especially those from rogue regimes like Iran or Syria.
Posted by Libertyship46 | September 27, 2007 1:31 PM