Lincoln Chafee: “In the world of diplomacy, some things are better left unsaid. For that reason, I would have preferred that President…”

“In the world of diplomacy, some things are better left unsaid. For that reason, I would have preferred that President Bush not send the April 14, 2004 letter to Prime Minister Sharon. Nevertheless, I gave my qualified support to S. Res. 393 because Israeli withdrawal from Gaza has the potential to jumpstart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. There have been too many missed opportunities already. It would be a shame to miss another one. My vote for S. Res. 393 is subject to two understandings. First, Prime Minister Sharon's disengagement plan should not be a substitute for bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians; and second, all final status issues should be mutually agreed upon by both parties.”