The Richardson Solution

This is the real deal folks

I can't even believe how many times I've had to start a question this way on this blog,but here it goes...

How many candidates can say they went to North Korea, secured the remains of American servicepersons and then helped push forward nuclear disarmament on one of the biggest international threats to peace and security?

The answer, as usual: only one.  Bill "I get stuff done" Richardson

What strikes me first about this video is the "at work" look.  My sister was commenting on this the other day.  Her and her boyfriend (a registered republican) dig Richardson because his hair isn't perfect, his tie isn't always perfectly straight and that he looks natural.

Natural at what you say?  Naturally at work.  Getting things done.  While John Edwards is still blow drying his hair, Richardson's already out the door disarming nuclear threats around the world. (sorry, I couldn't resist)

Richardson back in North Korea

He's back.  Not for nukes this time, but to recover dead soldiers:

Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson has arrived in North Korea for a rare visit by a prominent U-S official, but he says he won't be negotiating nuclear issues.

Richardson's visit to the isolated country has been endorsed by the Bush administration and it comes days before a crucial deadline in the recent nuclear disarmament accord.

The New Mexico governor says his delegation is there to recover the remains of U-S servicemen killed during the Korean War. But during the flight to Pyongyang, Richardson told The Associated Press that the timing of the visit is important and will show North Korea the good intentions of the U-S.

Pushing for Diplomacy

Richardson acknowledges good and then asks for more:

Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson said Friday that President Bush should learn from recent successes with North Korea and engage in intense diplomatic negotiations in the Middle East to end the Iraq war.

"He finally used diplomacy and it works," Richardson said on the first day of a two-day visit to the early voting state of New Hampshire. "My hope is that he uses that lesson ... to talk to Syria about Hezbollah and Iraq, and that he talks to Iran about getting out of Iraq and stop their meddling there.

In case anyone forgot:

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson will meet with two top North Korean officials this Friday, December 15, in Santa Fe. The North Koreans asked for the meeting with Governor Richardson to discuss the upcoming multi-lateral talks regarding the North Korean nuclear weapons program. The so-called six-party talks include North Korea, South Korea, China, Russia, Japan, and the United States. They are scheduled to resume Monday, December 18, in Beijing, China. Two diplomats from the North Korean Mission to the United Nations, Minister Kim Myong Gil and First Secretary Song Se Il, have been granted permission by the US State Department to make the visit to Santa Fe.

Richardson, Iraq and Withdrawal

I know this has been blogged about before, but I wanted to make sure it was in the archives here.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Saturday night in Greenville that he doesn't "believe there is a military solution" to the Iraq insurgency.

Richardson, here for a political event, said the best course is to "tie a withdrawal to a political solution with all the ethnic groups," leaving only a small force in Iraq.

The potential 2008 Democratic presidential candidate told reporters that a withdrawal deadline -- this year or next -- should now be set and a redeployment to "trouble spots around the world ... Afghanistan, to fight international terrorism, to (neutralize) weapons of mass destruction. I would redirect some of those resources to protect our railways, our ports, airports, our homeland security."

Being a governor, Richardson is affored some leeway on this issue. It is however, becoming a fast limus test for those running for presiden and has some influence in the power behind Obama's candidacy. 

What would truly set the governor apart from the field would be an Eisenhower-like pledge to go over to Iraq and the broader Middle East to negotiate a peace of some sort.  No other candidate is credible on the issue of foreign diplomacy and it could even occur during a part of the primary campaign.  It may be seen as grandstanding - but grandstanding to save American and Iraqi lives may be all we have left.

60 day cease fire

This has been blogged over at the Bill Richardson Blog, New Mexicans for Richardson, Washington for Richardson, America for Richardson and (with special, extra-loud props to Cara) at Daily Kos.

But it deserves special mention here as well:

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today announced that he has secured a commitment from Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al Bashir to agree to a 60-day cessation of hostilities in the Darfur region to allow for a new political process under the Darfur Peace Agreement and the auspices of the African Union and the United Nations. Governor Richardson also spoke this week with rebel leaders who said they would agree to a cease-fire. If all parties follow through with the cease-fire, the A.U. and the U.N. will convene a Peace Summit on March 15 under the framework of the peace agreement.

Now, I just have to say congratulations.  Congratulations to the bright spot of peace and diplomacy that Bill Richardson brought to this day of rampant escalation and increasing violence.  Congratualtions to the Sudanese people, who now have another chance for peace.  Congratulations to Richardson himself, who once again proved his mettle with the roughest of foes. 

I think my favorite quote might have been from this previous article, which showed how Richardson laid it on the line:

"We're going to press the rebels to participate not just in the Abuja process, but in the cease-fire and protecting humanitarian groups," Richardson said. He said he and al-Bashir discussed how to bring those who refused to sign on to Abuja into the process.

He discussed the same issue later with Minni Minnawi, the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement that signed the agreement and subsequently became a presidential assistant. Minnawi expressed disappointment that the government has not yet disarmed the militias and told Richardson if the al-Bashir's government does not honor its commitments, there will be regime change.

Yet he encouraged other rebel leaders to sign onto the agreement and said he would adhere to it. "We are respecting the cease-fire and we will continue to implement it," Minnawi said in an interview at him home in Khartoum, where other Darfurians sat under tents and cooked food in the yard.

While I don't think Daily Kos is a accurate sample of the general public, I thought this comment from Cara's diary truly represented how I could see many Americans seeing this event:

Why is it up to the Governor of New Mexico to broker this deal?  Where is the Secratary of State? Do we not have a State Department? an ambassador at the UN?  Yes, we have all those things, but they are as disfunctional as the rest of the Bush/Cheney government at talking to the world, as they are at running a competent goverment here at home.  For a government that was supposed to put the "adults" back in charge of the levers of governance, will someone tell me anything that they have done competently, other than hijack the electoral process and help Congress become an organized kleptocracy?  And now, the Governor of New Mexico has to go abroad and broker a peace deal that Bush/Cheney is unable or unwilling to make happen.  This state of affairs is beyond comprehension.  Congratulations to Governor Richardson, perhaps he should be giving the Iraq speech tonight.

Here, here,  Mr.Jersey.  Who else in 2008 offers this much to the American people?  No one, very clearly.

Troubleshooting in the Sudan

The Governor is heading back to the Sudan:

Gov. Bill Richardson, in his familiar role as a diplomatic troubleshooter, has been asked to travel to Sudan to help persuade the country's government to accept a peacekeeping force in the war-torn Darfur region.

"Governor Richardson is very honored by the request of the Save Darfur Coalition and he would like to help," said Pahl Shipley, a Richardson spokesman. "This is a very serious situation. He is currently consulting with the State Department, the Sudanese government and the United Nations."

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has rejected a U.N. Security Council resolution that provides for beefing up the poorly funded and equipped 7,000-troop African Union force to about 22,000 peacekeepers under U.N. leadership.

"That's where we're hoping the governor can help," said Colleen Connors, spokeswoman for the Save Darfur Coalition, an umbrella group of more than 160 humanitarian and religious organizations lobbying for greater action to halt the violence in Darfur.

The article goes on to mention the governor's previous visit to Sudan, securing the release of hostages and aid workers.  It goes to show how important diplomacy and meeting face-to-face is in the realm of international affairs.

I wonder how many other 2008 possibles are going abroad to negotiate end to conflicts?

Hint:  the answer is 0.