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| John Kerry uses Senate hearing to warn Afghanistan over elections | John Kerry uses Senate hearing to warn Afghanistan over elections |
| (7 days later) | |
| John Kerry, who is shortly expected to be confirmed as the next US secretary of state, has warned that Afghanistan must hold a legitimate presidential election next year or risk being totally abandoned by western governments after the withdrawal of foreign combat forces is complete in 2014. | John Kerry, who is shortly expected to be confirmed as the next US secretary of state, has warned that Afghanistan must hold a legitimate presidential election next year or risk being totally abandoned by western governments after the withdrawal of foreign combat forces is complete in 2014. |
| Kerry said in his nomination hearing before the Senate foreign relations committee that he had played a role in helping Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, hold on to power despite a tainted election victory, and that it could not be allowed to happen again. | Kerry said in his nomination hearing before the Senate foreign relations committee that he had played a role in helping Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, hold on to power despite a tainted election victory, and that it could not be allowed to happen again. |
| In a broad-ranging, three-hour hearing, Kerry also warned that "China is all over Africa" and said that the US needed to exert new influence on the continent. He spoke passionately about the need for international cooperation to battle climate change, saying that countries should not be afraid of responding to it, but of not doing so. Kerry also warned that battles between the president and Congress over debt, budgets and other finances were damaging the US's standing in the world. | In a broad-ranging, three-hour hearing, Kerry also warned that "China is all over Africa" and said that the US needed to exert new influence on the continent. He spoke passionately about the need for international cooperation to battle climate change, saying that countries should not be afraid of responding to it, but of not doing so. Kerry also warned that battles between the president and Congress over debt, budgets and other finances were damaging the US's standing in the world. |
| "Foreign policy is economic policy," he said. "It is urgent that we show people in the rest of the world that we can get our business done in an effective and timely way." | "Foreign policy is economic policy," he said. "It is urgent that we show people in the rest of the world that we can get our business done in an effective and timely way." |
| Most senators on the foreign relations committee were fulsome in their praise of Kerry, who is himself a senator and more usually chairman of the same committee. Leading Republicans, such as John McCain, endorsed his nomination and said they expected he would be swiftly confirmed as secretary of state by the full Senate. | Most senators on the foreign relations committee were fulsome in their praise of Kerry, who is himself a senator and more usually chairman of the same committee. Leading Republicans, such as John McCain, endorsed his nomination and said they expected he would be swiftly confirmed as secretary of state by the full Senate. |
| Kerry was asked several times about the looming US military withdrawal from Afghanistan – although the largest American civilian overseas operation will remain – and what can be done to create stability. He warned that "there cannot be an effective peace" without hanging on to "the gains" which include constitutional government, the rights of women and girls and their role in Afghan society. | Kerry was asked several times about the looming US military withdrawal from Afghanistan – although the largest American civilian overseas operation will remain – and what can be done to create stability. He warned that "there cannot be an effective peace" without hanging on to "the gains" which include constitutional government, the rights of women and girls and their role in Afghan society. |
| Kerry said that a central factor in stabilising Afghanistan would be ensuring that next year's presidential election is legitimate, after the tainted process which put Karzai back in power. | Kerry said that a central factor in stabilising Afghanistan would be ensuring that next year's presidential election is legitimate, after the tainted process which put Karzai back in power. |
| "Having an acceptable election – it's not going to be perfect, we're not going to be able to have perfection in this process for a lot of different reasons – but having an election that passes muster and is acceptable according to international standards and observers will be critical to our ability to have the kind of transition we want to have, and to have confidence that the government that succeeds in 2014 has legitimacy," he said. | "Having an acceptable election – it's not going to be perfect, we're not going to be able to have perfection in this process for a lot of different reasons – but having an election that passes muster and is acceptable according to international standards and observers will be critical to our ability to have the kind of transition we want to have, and to have confidence that the government that succeeds in 2014 has legitimacy," he said. |
| "If it doesn't have legitimacy, if we don't succeed in that effort, it's going to be very, very difficult to convince the American people, and to convince our allies in ISAF and beyond, to stay engaged in this effort." | "If it doesn't have legitimacy, if we don't succeed in that effort, it's going to be very, very difficult to convince the American people, and to convince our allies in ISAF and beyond, to stay engaged in this effort." |
| Kerry acknowledged that he had helped win recognition for Karzai's questionable victory in the last presidential ballot. | Kerry acknowledged that he had helped win recognition for Karzai's questionable victory in the last presidential ballot. |
| "I went through this personally with President Karzai in the last election where there were serious questions about the propriety of the process and we had to sort of strike a compromise about it," he said. "I don't think they'll be room for a compromise in the aftermath here. I will certainly make sure that we're riding herd on it very very closely." | "I went through this personally with President Karzai in the last election where there were serious questions about the propriety of the process and we had to sort of strike a compromise about it," he said. "I don't think they'll be room for a compromise in the aftermath here. I will certainly make sure that we're riding herd on it very very closely." |
| Kerry said that in the face of budget cuts in the US, it was important to maintain funding for overseas policies that strengthen the American economy. He flagged up the rapidly growing influence of Chinese businesses in Africa. | Kerry said that in the face of budget cuts in the US, it was important to maintain funding for overseas policies that strengthen the American economy. He flagged up the rapidly growing influence of Chinese businesses in Africa. |
| "China is all over Africa," he said. "I mean all over Africa. And they're buying up long-term contracts on minerals, you name it. There are some places where we're not in the game, folks. I hate to say it. We've got to get in it. But it takes a little bit of resourcing. Believe me, somebody's paying for those folks [the Chinese] to be over there, investing in their investment of time. | "China is all over Africa," he said. "I mean all over Africa. And they're buying up long-term contracts on minerals, you name it. There are some places where we're not in the game, folks. I hate to say it. We've got to get in it. But it takes a little bit of resourcing. Believe me, somebody's paying for those folks [the Chinese] to be over there, investing in their investment of time. |
| "We have to be prepared because I think that what we bring to the table is frankly a lot more attractive than what a lot of other countries bring to the table. People like to do business with American businesses. They think we're open, we're accountable, we have freedom of creativity. | "We have to be prepared because I think that what we bring to the table is frankly a lot more attractive than what a lot of other countries bring to the table. People like to do business with American businesses. They think we're open, we're accountable, we have freedom of creativity. |
| "I think that if we can organise ourselves in this sector we can win. And when I say win, I don't mean win on Cold War terms. I mean win in terms of business contracts, business opportunities, jobs for Americans, ability to export." | "I think that if we can organise ourselves in this sector we can win. And when I say win, I don't mean win on Cold War terms. I mean win in terms of business contracts, business opportunities, jobs for Americans, ability to export." |
| Kerry was asked about a range of Middle East issues. He said the US was working on how to hasten the fall of President Bashar Assad in Syria. | Kerry was asked about a range of Middle East issues. He said the US was working on how to hasten the fall of President Bashar Assad in Syria. |
| "We need to change Bashar Assad's calculation," he said. "Right now President Assad doesn't think he's losing and the opposition thinks it's winning. That is not an equation that allows you to reach some accommodation for transition. The goal of the Obama administration, I think the goal of the international community, is to effect some kind of orderly transition. | "We need to change Bashar Assad's calculation," he said. "Right now President Assad doesn't think he's losing and the opposition thinks it's winning. That is not an equation that allows you to reach some accommodation for transition. The goal of the Obama administration, I think the goal of the international community, is to effect some kind of orderly transition. |
| "We have to increase the readiness of president to see the die is cast, the handwriting is on the wall, to be willing to make a judgement here that will save lives and hold the state together in a transition." | "We have to increase the readiness of president to see the die is cast, the handwriting is on the wall, to be willing to make a judgement here that will save lives and hold the state together in a transition." |
| Kerry mostly repeated the administration's line on Iran's nuclear programme and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He warned the Palestinians against taking Israel to the International Criminal Court. In recent days, the Palestinian leadership has said it will ask the ICC to investigate whether Jewish settlements in the West Bank breach the laws of war, if Israel continues to expand its colonies in the occupied territories. | Kerry mostly repeated the administration's line on Iran's nuclear programme and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He warned the Palestinians against taking Israel to the International Criminal Court. In recent days, the Palestinian leadership has said it will ask the ICC to investigate whether Jewish settlements in the West Bank breach the laws of war, if Israel continues to expand its colonies in the occupied territories. |
| Republican senator for Kentucky Rand Paul pressed Kerry on why the US is still sending weapons to Egypt after its first elected president, Mohamed Morsi, was revealed to have said that Jews are descended from apes and pigs. | Republican senator for Kentucky Rand Paul pressed Kerry on why the US is still sending weapons to Egypt after its first elected president, Mohamed Morsi, was revealed to have said that Jews are descended from apes and pigs. |
| Kerry said Morsi's comments were "reprehensible, degrading and unacceptable" and said he should apologise. But Kerry added that it was important to maintain good relations with the Egyptian leader, in part to help preserve the Israeli-Egyptian peace accord. | Kerry said Morsi's comments were "reprehensible, degrading and unacceptable" and said he should apologise. But Kerry added that it was important to maintain good relations with the Egyptian leader, in part to help preserve the Israeli-Egyptian peace accord. |
| Paul also challenged Kerry on whether the president has the authority to unilaterally make war, as Barack Obama did in Libya, noting the nominee's opposition to the US bombing of Cambodia ordered by President Richard Nixon during the Vietnam war. In 1971, Kerry gave evidence to the Senate foreign relations committee after returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam. | Paul also challenged Kerry on whether the president has the authority to unilaterally make war, as Barack Obama did in Libya, noting the nominee's opposition to the US bombing of Cambodia ordered by President Richard Nixon during the Vietnam war. In 1971, Kerry gave evidence to the Senate foreign relations committee after returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam. |
| Paul said the constitution did not give the president the power to make war. Kerry responded that congressional approval "just doesn't work in some instances". "There are occasions where the president of the United States has to make a decision immediately," he said. | Paul said the constitution did not give the president the power to make war. Kerry responded that congressional approval "just doesn't work in some instances". "There are occasions where the president of the United States has to make a decision immediately," he said. |
| Kerry cited the invasions of Grenada and Panama, saying he supported both military interventions although they appeared to be poor examples as neither required an urgent decision by the president that required him to bypass Congress. | Kerry cited the invasions of Grenada and Panama, saying he supported both military interventions although they appeared to be poor examples as neither required an urgent decision by the president that required him to bypass Congress. |
| Paul pressed Kerry on whether there was a difference between Nixon's bombing of Cambodia and Obama ordering the assault on Libya. Kerry said Cambodia was different. | Paul pressed Kerry on whether there was a difference between Nixon's bombing of Cambodia and Obama ordering the assault on Libya. Kerry said Cambodia was different. |
| "It is because it was an extension of a war that was prosecuted without the involvement of Congress after a number of years," he said. | "It is because it was an extension of a war that was prosecuted without the involvement of Congress after a number of years," he said. |
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