Kerry at the Hiroshima Peace memorial Park

[karynnj]

From the descriptions from many news sources, Kerry very deftly threaded a needle here - displaying compassion for those who died, without getting into anything that could be seen as apologizing for the US. While speaking of hope that the world could in the future eliminate nuclear weapons, his strongest comments speak against war itself .. not a specific weapon. It is fitting at a gathering of foreign ministers that one speaks of using diplomacy to avoid war. Though likely not planned, the photo of Kerry and the Hiroshima born Japanese foreign minister together under the arch is a strong image that encapsulates the message of Japan and the US now being strong allies.



The BBC had a detailed article that included the above photo - http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36012206

ABC showed the message he left in the guide book.

He later tweeted out a photo of his message, which reads: "Everyone in the world should see and feel the power of this memorial. It is a stark, harsh, compelling reminder not only of our obligation to end the threat of nuclear weapons, but to rededicate all our effort to avoid war itself. War must be the last resort - never the first choice. This memorial compels us all to redouble our efforts to change the world, to find peace and build the future so yearned for by citizens everywhere."

http://abcnews.go.com/International/kerry-makes-gut-wrenching-visit-hiroshima-memorial/story?id=38304368

[YvonneCa]

1. Thanks for posting this, karynnj. I'm...

...very proud of our Secretary of State. 🇺🇸

[MBS]

2. Ditto.

Such a thoughtful man.
An outstanding secretary of state -- easily the best in my lifetime -- and one of the most thoughtful politicians/statesmen I know about. A class act, all the way.

He and Obama make me proud to be an American. I'm proud that I voted for both! And worked on both of their campaigns!

Bravo, Sec Kerry.

[karynnj]

5. Same here

I remember in 2005 as many of you were planning to go see the Kerry event in Boston, having some fear in the back of my mind that I could have been wrong in 2004 in believing so strongly -- more strongly in any previous election that I could vote in -- that our nominee was not just the better choice, but an exceptional man of integrity and principle with great eloquence and intelligence as well. Seeing a hero in person is a bit scary. I remember how happy I was to read the comments of all of you who attended then and was happy to myself attend later events.

What has amazed me is that since that election, we have all in this group followed his actions, speeches and votes very closely. There were times that some or all of us disagreed with him, but what is remarkable is that if anything respect and admiration for him as a statesman and as a good person has increased even as we learn more.

As to President Obama, I think even at this early date he will be seen as the transformational President he sought to be. I think it likely that even after time passes he will reside in the list of the 5 or at least 10 best Presidents.

[mylye2222]

7. I wished I could have joined those events!!!!

But I am too far.... in France!
We will all miss him so much when he will step aside next year... I hope he will release some good read after State!

[MBS]

9. My respect and admiration for Sec. Kerry has also grown over time.

My admiration for him was already high in 2003/2004- he was the first presidential candidate (Obama was the second) for whom I voted for positive reasons, not just as the usual lesser-of-two evils rationale. ( In 2016, it's sadly back to the usual lesser-of-two-evils/better-than-the-alternative considerations for me).

And, as you said, everything he has done since then has only increased my admiration and respect for him.

He really is an exceptional man.
If there's any justice or good sense in the universe, he will be treated very well by history. Certainly, by every possible measure, he should be recognized as an absolutely outstanding secretary of state.

[karynnj]

10. I agree that he will be treated well by history

The country is polarized, so I am just speaking from the POV of the center and left. You already can see on the left, that even as HRC runs for President, both she and Bernie have in various debates praised Kerry on foreign policy, even as they disagree radically with each other. You also see many people, who are not "us", saying he is the best Secretary of State in their life times -- or not disagreeing when others say so -- even those supporting HRC for President. (It is very possible to do/believe both)

It is pretty clear that on climate change and Iran, Obama supported doing what Kerry did, but gave each little chance of succeeding. On Iran, at many points, when it was on the verge of failing, it was "Kerry's", but it was always true that without Obama's blessing and willingness to back something that was more likely to fail than work and which was controversial he could not have done what he did. On climate change, though HRC wants to draw a line from her "hunting down the Chinese", that is campaign rhetoric. Kerry's comment at IU that he spoke of wanting to make climate change his signature issue when he spoke to Obama about becoming SoS and being told that the administration held out little hope for diplomatic success on that. Kerry's long ties to the Chinese on that issue, his respect for them and his inviting them to a meeting at his home in Boston. Somehow seems more likely to get a very proud people, with a very long history to meet to find common interests than publicly "hunting them down".

Another place where Kerry tried to accomplish something that seemed doomed to failure was Israel/Palestine - especially as President Obama had already supported the George Mitchel effort to do so. There are also stories in both the Israeli and US foreign policy media suggesting that Obama may give a speech on Israel laying out the Kerry negotiated plan for a two state solution that was not accepted by Netanyahu and Abbas. The idea is that putting it out could serve as a starting point for any future effort at a 2 state solution. Here, I suspect that Kerry was right years ago when he spoke of a narrow window for a two state solution. I suspect that years from now, Netanyahu will be seen as the man who prevented that possibility -- unless he is jolted into really backing a 2 state plan. Unfortunately, I think there is less, not more, support for that in Israel now than - say - a decade or two ago.

Even if he gets credit JUST for the Iran deal and the climate change deal, he is a top Secretary of State. Had Paris failed, like Copenhagen before it, the fight against climate change would have been seriously hurt -- especially as there is little reason to think that the US would do better in future conferences. Had there not been a deal with Iran, there very likely would have been a terrible war there. On a personal level, I think he will be seen as a man of integrity and a talented diplomat, who managed to be both persistent and well liked by his peers - a very tricky thing to manage!

[MBS]

11. " " " " "

and, yes, on climate change and Iran, he gets more credit than the president IMHO.

[karynnj]

12. I agree on climate change, nothing would have happened without Kerry and this was an issue

that was not controversial among Democrats. I remember in 2007, when John and Teresa were on This Week with Stephanopolis, he asked who was best on the environment - and Teresa immediately said something to the effect that none were strong enough. Kerry, corrected that the Democrats were better than the Republicans. In fact, where this was something both Gore and Kerry were committed to, it was not something that any of the 2008 candidates gave the same priority to.

With Iran, though I think it would not have happened without Kerry, I think Obama gets as much credit for backing Kerry at every point on something that really was controversial within the Democratic party. Even early on, it was clear that the powerful AIPAC was going to fight it tooth and nail. He did not back down one iota even when Netanyahu himself came to the Congress - in what ended up being a counterproductive act for the forces wanting to split Democrats from Obama. Obama used his political capitol to prevent them from sinking the agreement. There is no way that a President measuring everything by what political gain is in it for them would have backed this effort at all. I do not think it would have happened under a President Clinton had she won in 2008 - no matter who the SoS was. I have heard Kerry passionately praise Obama for his support and it seems genuine.

In reality, the President in office often gets credit not just for things like these where it was done in the executive branch, but for legislation they sign into law. Consider Nixon gets credit on DU for the EPA and W gets credit in the mainstream media for the increase spending to combat AIDS that occurred when he was President - more than Frist and Kerry, who pushed for legislation much earlier. Not to mention that the Clintons take credit for the Kennedy/Hatch designed SCHIP.

[MBS]

3. I hadn't realized that Kerry is the FIRST US Secretary of State to visit

the Hiroshima memorial.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/11/john-kerry-becomes-first-us-secretary-of-state-to-visit-hiroshim/

Photo at this link (for some reason, I couldn't get it to display automatically, but link does work)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2016/04/11/95151274_US_Secretary_of_State_John_Kerry-xlarge_trans++FNg083D4dwMls34BZ1qmEwMOlfbiVGw0P_NcV7wEWTY.jpg

[karynnj]

4. That is a great photo.

I can understand the reasons - all you have to do is look at any of the American sources to see that even visiting is still ultra controversial. Though, I think it completely fitting that the first Secretary of State to visit is one who spoke out against war as a young man and who has made world peace and a climate change agreement the focus of his time as Secretary of State.

[MBS]

8. yes, so fitting, for just the reasons you described. n/t

[karynnj]

6. Link to a Hiroshima press conference with JK

Last edited Mon Apr 11, 2016, 08:52 PM - Edit history (1)

It is long and there are many good things said, so out of sheer laziness, here is the link. http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2016/04/255689.htm

and a very nice PBS write up - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/kerry-makes-gut-wrenching-visit-to-hiroshima-site-of-atomic-bomb/