By Elaine Donnelly
Extending sexual misconduct to combat units
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
As the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, Sen. John F. Kerry denounced the war in Iraq as a "profound diversion" and asserted that without a serious change of course, America faced "the prospect of a war with no end in sight."
The State Department on Wednesday said Tuesday's election results don't change Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's plans to step down.
U.S. officials and a former Afghan foreign minister are expressing skepticism over Pakistan-brokered talks between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and al Qaeda-affiliated groups, saying Islamabad appears to be trying to install its proxies in a future government in Kabul.
"Whether it was with Vietnam decades ago, or Iraq and Afghanistan today, I think he is going to be very cautious and careful about overinvolvement, or overextension in U.S. foreign policy," said Karl F. Inderfurth, who served as assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs during President George W. Bush's second term.
"He's been consistent about wanting to make sure all questions are asked and answered as fully as possible before the U.S. commits itself to overseas involvements," said Mr. Inderfurth, now a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic International Studies in Washington. "If neocons are those who seek greater involvement in other nations' affairs, including up to military involvement, then I think in that sense John Kerry would be the anti-neocon."
