Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s behavior and the Arab Spring in the Middle East have been “game changers,” complicating U.S. foreign policy.
“To put it mildly, the world is a mess,” she said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
She talked specifically about the recent crisis in Israel. While America can plan talks and cease fires, she said no progress will be made until both Israelis and Palestinians want to end the attacks and begin to negotiate.
“What are the preconditions for even getting to discussing the conditions?” she said. “So it’s a tough sell for everybody.”
While Israel has a right to defend itself, many are criticizing the country for killing so many Palestinian civilians. Israel, however, says it’s Hamas’ fault for using civilians to shield its weapons. Ms. Albright said that could harm the world’s view of Israel’s image.
“I am a great believer,” she said, “In the moral authority of the Israelis, but I am very worried about their image.”
• Jacqueline Klimas can be reached at jklimas@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.