Arms Deal Hurt U.S. Interests, Kennedy Charges

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), just back from a trip to the Middle East, said Saturday that arms sales to Iran have done “enormous damage” to U.S. interests in the Middle East.

Kennedy, who met with officials in Israel, Jordan and Egypt, said one of the biggest threats Israel faces is the appearance that America no longer plays a major role in the region’s diplomacy.

“At best, the United States is viewed as inconsistent, naive, confused and incompetent,” Kennedy said. “At worst, the United States is seen as deceptive, disloyal, erratic and unreliable.”

He said the peace process in the Middle East is “dead in the water” because there has been no serious U.S. diplomatic initiative and because of “secret and erratic machinations of the past 18 months.”

Kennedy urged that a special envoy to the Middle East be appointed to repair the damage from the arms sales to Iran and “to demonstrate the urgency of America’s efforts to revive the stalled peace process.”

“One of the greatest threats to peace that Israel faces today is not from guns or tanks or terrorists, but from the appearance that America is no longer a serious participant in the high-stakes diplomacy in the area,” he said.

Israel and Arab nations friendly to the United States are “deeply concerned” by the spread of Islamic fundamentalism from Iran and the increased incidence of terrorism by radical groups, he said.

“Our decision to sell arms to Iran in exchange for hostages intensifies their concerns on both counts,” Kennedy said. “It is seen as an effort to curry favor with the most dangerous forces in the region, with those who work to destabilize moderate regimes and with those who continue to export terrorism as instruments of national policy.

“The decision is also seen as providing support to (Ayatollah Ruhollah) Khomeini in the Iran-Iraq war and demonstrating to the terrorists that their terrorism--murder and kidnaping--pays off.”