Words of advicefor the next president n March 27, former Secretaries of Sponsored by the Dean Rusk Center, in partnership with State Henry Kissinger, James Baker III, the Southern Center for International Studies, the two- Warren Christopher, Madeleine Albright hour roundtable, titled “The Report of the Secretaries and Colin Powell gathered in Athens to of State: Bipartisan Advice to the Next Administration,” discuss current U.S. foreign policy with the goal has been edited for broadcast on PBS stations across the of providing advice and counsel to the next presidential country. This program can also be viewed on the law administration. The session was moderated by Terence school’s Web site at www.law.uga.edu. The following will Smith, of “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,” before an provide you with excerpts from the forum. audience of more than 2,000. AMERICA’S IMAGE ABROAD tarily but economically as well. And, I see our domestic economy as POWELL: I think it will begin to change with a new president no a severe problem for us around the world. … The weak American matter which [one of the] three candidates win. You get a reset at dollar is kind of a metaphor for me for the weakness of America that time. And if that new president begins by reaching out to all abroad, and that’s beginning to hurt very badly. And, I think one of our friends and allies around the world, and not only convey of the things the new president ought to do is to try to get our our points of view and what we believe in, but listen and hear what economic house in order. … On Guantanamo, Terry, I agree com- we are listening to, actually hear it and act on it and show that pletely with Colin Powell. kind of comity to other nations of the world, we’ll begin to turn BAKER: With respect to Guantanamo, let me say I totally agree that around. … I think there are some things the new president with what Colin and Madeleine and Chris (referring to can do right away that will begin to return to us a Secretary Christopher) have said. I think it ought to more favorable position. For example, … close be closed. And I think it – I think it gives us a Guantanamo immediately, and by closing very, very bad name, not just internation- Guantanamo saying to the world we are ally. And, maybe this is because I’m a now going to go back to our tradi- Five Secretaries of State, serving lawyer, but I have a great deal of dif- five different presidents and shaping tional respective forms of dealing ficulty understanding how we can international policy with people who have potentially hold someone, pick somebody spanning more than 30 years committed crimes. up, particularly someone who ALBRIGHT: I personally have Henry Kissinger might be an American citizen, served under Presidents Richard M. Nixon even if they’re caught some- never seen the world in such a and Gerald R. Ford (1973-1977) mess. … I think the next presi- where abroad acting against dent is going to have a very big James Baker III American interests, and hold served under George H.W. Bush (1989-1992) job. I think a lot of it does have them without ever giving them to do with our actions, and Warren Christopher an opportunity to appear before Colin, I think, has described served under President William J. “Bill” a magistrate and say yes or no or Clinton (1993-1997) those. But, also, [Terrence prove that they’re not an enemy Smith] asked what does it matter Madeleine Albright combatant, if you would. to us, and I think it matters in the served under President William J. “Bill” Clinton (1997-2001) KISSINGER: I agree with the following way: Since the president impact that Guantanamo has inter- and the secretary's of state job is to Colin Powell nationally. … And, I would like to see protect the national security of the United served under George W. Bush (2001-2005) it closed. But I would also like to see what States, it hurts us if we are so disregarded or the alternative is, what the consequences are maligned because we’re not able to get the kind when it is closed because some of the people that of support we need for whatever the issues are, whether apparently are there would be very hard to put into an they are going into Afghanistan or dealing with the financial crisis American judicial system. … I would like to know what one does or dealing with climate change issues. … I don’t care whether we’re in situations in which there’s a clear threat to the security of the loved or not. I think, though, we need to be respected and not nec- United States. essarily just feared for doing the wrong thing. And I would hope that one of the first things that the next president would do, would not only close Guantanamo, and I totally agree on that, but also make IRAQ WAR very clear that we will rejoin or lead an effort on climate change. CHRISTOPHER: Two and a half months before the war I wrote an op-ed piece opposing the war. Let me just read a couple of sentences BAKER: I agree with [Secretary Albright] completely that the next from that, if I might: “… Even if the optimistic predictions of a president should lead an effort among the nations to try and do quick victory prove to be accurate, we would find ourselves then something about climate change. A lot of the problems that face the absorbed with the occupation of Iraq in efforts to impose democracy country today are not discrete with respect to specific areas of the on the fractious elements of that country.” ... It seems to me that world. They are transnational problems dealing with terrorism and after five years we’ve had, from the White House, Iraq on the front global climate change and trade and economic issues and that’s what burner, Iraq all the time. And, I think for the health of our country the next president – [the] kind of thing the next president is going we need – we need to get past that now. Secretary Baker led a com- to have to deal with. mission that prescribed some very good remedies in that situation which unfortunately have not been taken, and I look forward to dis- CHRISTOPHER: I’m one of those who thinks that in order to be strong abroad, we have to be strong at home and that’s just not mili- cussion around the table about how – how we do get out of this. Opposite page: Participants in The 16th Report of the Secretaries of State were: (back, l. to r.) Colin Powell, Terence Smith (moderator), James Baker, (front, l. to r.) Warren Christopher, Madeleine Albright and Henry Kissinger. Photo by UGA Public Affairs' Andrew Davis Tucker. Spring/Summer 2008 Advocate 3 BAKER: [The Iraq Study Group] Report recommended that And, there’s just so much we can do with the United States’ armed we start talking to Iran in the same way we talked to Iran about forces to resolve that conflict or even contain it, sooner or later. … Afghanistan. This administ – current administration, Colin was The Baker-Hamilton report discussed this in considerable detail and probably secretary of state, talked to Iran about our common inter- advocated a policy of let’s start disengaging somewhat, not go away, est in a stable Afghanistan after we went in there, and Iran helped us not cut and run, and no president will find that to be an acceptable and cooperated a little bit with us. Colin can amplify on that. We policy. … I don’t think it’s sustainable for 140 or 150,000 American need to do the same thing with respect to Iraq. That’s what our Iraq soldiers to just sit there forever fighting Shias one day, fighting Study Group Report suggested. Because a dysfunctional Iraq, cha- Sunnis the next day. It has to be passed off to the Iraqis. otic Iraq, is not something that is in the interest of Iran. They don’t ALBRIGHT: Because as Secretary Powell was saying, it’s very hard want that. They’ll have a ton of refugees, so there’s every incentive on for us to stay there. But we also have to figure out what our – how to their part to help us the same way they did in Afghanistan, if we’re use the United Nations on the sanctions, how to find what we have willing to approach them without preconditions. in common with the Iranians, because we do. And, I think that we KISSINGER: On negotiation with Iran, I agree with Jim that one need to focus ourselves on how the next president uses that array of has to talk to adversaries but one should not treat it as a psychiatric tools in the toolbox and allows a mix and match. problem, so that it’s just a question of going into a room and creat- BAKER: I think one of the worst things we could do when we start ing goodwill. How well we negotiate with Iran depends in part on thinking about Iraq is to somehow say, well, we need to get out of the objective balances that exist in the region. The reason it worked there come what may. … We’re going to have to drawdown. That is when Colin was secretary is because we had a force in Afghanistan.