The CFR, Kosovo, & the Presidential Campaign On April 7, 1999 the Boston Globe published an article by Michael Kranish, titled "Crisis could reshape the race for presidency." The article, posted at [ http://www.jsonline.com:80/news/kosovo/0407camp.asp ] is about how the Kosovo conflict could effect the Presidential Campaign. The article quotes , Council on Foreign Relations.senior fellow Walter Russell Mead. The article mentions President William Clinton, former President George Bush, former Sen. Bill Bradley of New Jersey, and former National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft. The article doesn't mention that Clinton, Bush, Bradley and Scowcroft are all Council on Foreign Relations members. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, and Secretary of Defense William Cohen, who are largely responsible for America's involvement in Kosovo are all Council on Foreign Relations members. Is one of the reasons for starting the Kosovo crisis to allow the Council on Foreign Relations to influence the next presidential campaign? The article modified to identify Council on Foreign Relations members mentioned in the story follows: > > Crisis could reshape the race for presidency > By Michael Kranish Boston Globe > > April 07, 1999 > > Washington -- Depending on how long the United States is involved in the >conflict in Kosovo, the crisis could reshape the presidential campaign, >shifting the focus from domestic affairs to foreign policy, an area in >which some candidates have little expertise. > > In the past few days, the conflict has highlighted the lack of foreign >policy experience of the Republican front-runner, Texas Governor George W. >Bush, while it appears to have boosted Senator John McCain of Arizona, a >former Vietnam POW and a Senate leader on international issues. > > This is the opposite of what analysts thought would unfold in the >Republican presidential race. Until recently, it was presumed that the >2000 campaign would center on domestic matters. > > Indeed, after [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] Bill Clinton >defeated [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] President Bush in 1992, it >was widely attributed to Clinton's effectiveness in criticizing [COUNCIL >ON FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] Bush for focusing too much on foreign >affairs. Thus, the backers of [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] Bush's >son for the presidency highlighted his domestic expertise as governor. > > But even McCain says it is far too early to say how Kosovo will affect >the campaign. It depends on how long the conflict lasts and the result, he >said. > > "If this situation is resolved fairly quickly, then it will recede in >the consciousness of the American people as previous ones have," McCain >said. "But if it goes on, obviously the American people would look at >people they think about who they can trust on this issue." > > On the Democratic side, a drawn-out battle in Kosovo could provide >[COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] former Sen. Bill Bradley of New >Jersey with a prime issue against Vice President Al Gore, who helped >develop the bombing strategy. > > [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] Bradley started out cautiously, >saying the day the NATO airstrikes began on March 24 that he had "serious >questions about our policy." But a week later, on Thursday, Bradley took >aim at his primary opponent, saying the Clinton-Gore policy is flawed and >"Kosovo could become like Northern Ireland." > > "The two losers could be Gore and George W. (Bush)," said Walter Russell >Mead, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. "If we have a >long inconclusive war, then the Democratic Party needs somebody not linked >to the policy, and Gore won't be able to separate himself. That's good >news for [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] Bradley. For George W., it >does make it tough that he doesn't have good foreign policy experience." > > Even [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] Brent Scowcroft, the national >security adviser to [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] former President >Bush, said the younger Bush clearly lacks international credentials. > > "Is he comfortable with foreign policy? I would say not," [COUNCIL ON >FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] Scowcroft said. He said the governor's main >experience "was being around when his father was in his many different >jobs." > > Still, [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS MEMBER] Scowcroft stressed that >Gov. Bush and McCain are his favorite candidates. [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN >RELATIONS MEMBER] Scowcroft said Bush will learn throughout the campaign, >"and he had more attention to foreign policy than [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN >RELATIONS MEMBER] Bill Clinton did in 1992." > > The Kosovo conflict already has affected McCain's candidacy. He canceled >plans Tuesday to formally announce his presidential campaign in New >Hampshire, figuring this was no time to attack [COUNCIL ON FOREIGN >RELATIONS MEMBER] Clinton's policy -- or trying to compete with the news >from Yugoslavia. ### roundtable ____ Visit the Roundtable Web Page: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/2807 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] What two Council on Foreign Relations members edited the English Translation of Mein Kampf? See "The Council on Foreign Relations & Mein Kampf" [ http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/2807/emhitler.html }
