[Marxism] Fresh troops for ABB campaign

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

LA Times, June 13, 2004

THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Retired Officials Say Bush Must Go

By Ronald Brownstein, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — A group of 26 former senior diplomats and military 
officials, several appointed to key positions by Republican Presidents 
Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, plans to issue a joint statement 
this week arguing that President George W. Bush has damaged America's 
national security and should be defeated in November.

The group, which calls itself Diplomats and Military Commanders for 
Change, will explicitly condemn Bush's foreign policy, according to 
several of those who signed the document.

"It is clear that the statement calls for the defeat of the 
administration," said William C. Harrop, the ambassador to Israel under 
President Bush's father and one of the group's principal organizers.

Those signing the document, which will be released in Washington on 
Wednesday, include 20 former U.S. ambassadors, appointed by presidents 
of both parties, to countries including Israel, the former Soviet Union 
and Saudi Arabia.

Others are senior State Department officials from the Carter, Reagan and 
Clinton administrations and former military leaders, including retired 
Marine Gen. Joseph P. Hoar, the former commander of U.S. forces in the 
Middle East under President Bush's father. Hoar is a prominent critic of 
the war in Iraq.

Some of those signing the document — such as Hoar and former Air Force 
Chief of Staff Merrill A. McPeak — have identified themselves as 
supporters of Sen. John F. Kerry, the presumptive Democratic 
presidential nominee. But most have not endorsed any candidate, members 
of the group said.

It is unusual for so many former high-level military officials and 
career diplomats to issue such an overtly political message during a 
presidential campaign.

full: 
<http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/2004/la-na-diplo13jun13,1,1142936.story?coll=la-home-headlines>

The signatories:

While not explicitly endorsing Sen. John F. Kerry for president, 26 
former diplomats and military officials, including many who served in 
Republican administrations, have a signed a statement calling for the 
defeat of President Bush in November. Their names and some of the posts 
they have held are:

Avis T. Bohlen — assistant secretary of State for arms control, 
1999-2002; deputy assistant secretary of State for European affairs 
1989-1991.

Retired Adm. William J. Crowe Jr. — chairman, President's Foreign 
Intelligence Advisory Committee, 1993-94; ambassador to Britain, 
1993-97; chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1985-89.

Jeffrey S. Davidow — ambassador to Mexico, 1998-2002; assistant 
secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, 1996

William A. DePree — ambassador to Bangladesh, 1987-1990.

Donald B. Easum — ambassador to Nigeria, 1975-79.

Charles W. Freeman Jr. — assistant secretary of Defense, International 
Security Affairs, 1993-94; ambassador to Saudi Arabia, 1989-1992.

William C. Harrop — ambassador to Israel, 1991-93; ambassador to Zaire, 
1987-1991.

Arthur A. Hartman — ambassador to the Soviet Union, 1981-87; ambassador 
to France, 1977-1981.

Retired Marine Gen. Joseph P. Hoar — commander in chief of U.S. Central 
Command, overseeing forces in the Middle East, 1991-94; deputy chief of 
staff, Marine Corps, 1990-94.

H. Allen Holmes — assistant secretary of Defense for special operations, 
1993-99; assistant secretary of State for politico-military affairs, 
1986-89.

Robert V. Keeley — ambassador to Greece, 1985-89; ambassador to 
Zimbabwe, 1980-84.

Samuel W. Lewis — director of State Department policy and planning, 
1993-94; ambassador to Israel, 1977-1985.

Princeton N. Lyman — assistant secretary of State for International 
Organization Affairs, 1995-98; ambassador to South Africa, 1992-95.

Jack F. Matlock Jr. — ambassador to the Soviet Union, 1987-1991; 
director for European and Soviet Affairs, National Security Council, 
1983-86; ambassador to Czechoslovakia, 1981-83.

Donald F. McHenry — ambassador to the United Nations, 1979-1981.

Retired Air Force Gen. Merrill A. McPeak — chief of staff, U.S. Air 
Force, 1990-94.

George E. Moose — assistant secretary of State for African affairs, 
1993-97; ambassador to Senegal, 1988-91.

David D. Newsom — acting secretary of State, 1980; undersecretary of 
State for political affairs, 1978-1981; ambassador to Indonesia, 1973-77

Phyllis E. Oakley — assistant secretary of State for intelligence and 
research, 1997-99.

James Daniel Phillips — ambassador to the Republic of Congo, 1990-93; 
ambassador to Burundi, 1986-1990.

John E. Reinhardt — professor of political science, University of 
Vermont, 1987-91; ambassador to Nigeria, 1971-75.

Retired Air Force Gen. William Y. Smith — deputy commander in chief, 
U.S. European Command, 1981-83.

Ronald I. Spiers — undersecretary-general of the United Nations for 
Political Affairs, 1989-1992; ambassador to Pakistan, 1981-83.

Michael Sterner — deputy assistant secretary of State for Near East 
affairs, 1977-1981; ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, 1974-76.

Retired Adm. Stansfield Turner — director of the Central Intelligence 
Agency, 1977-1981.

Alexander F. Watson — assistant secretary of State for Inter-American 
affairs, 1993-96; deputy permanent representative to the U.N., 
1989-1993. Source: Diplomats and Military Commanders for Change

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