Staff and agencies Monday October 23, 2006 Guardian Unlimited
Washington's top foreign affairs spin doctor today apologised for accusing the US government of "arrogance" and "stupidity" in its policy on Iraq. A day after his remarks were broadcast on al-Jazeera television, Alberto Fernandez, the director of public diplomacy in the state department's bureau of near eastern affairs, issued a terse written apology through the department's press office.
"Upon reading the transcript of my appearance on al-Jazeera, I realised that I seriously misspoke by using the phrase 'there has been arrogance and stupidity' by the US in Iraq," Mr Fernandez said.
10.15am
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spin doctor retracts US arrogance remarks
Staff and agencies Monday October 23, 2006 Guardian Unlimited
Alberto Fernandez said the phrase did not represent his views or those of the state department. Photograph: Guardian
Washington's top foreign affairs spin doctor today apologised for accusing the US government of "arrogance" and "stupidity" in its policy on Iraq. A day after his remarks were broadcast on al-Jazeera television, Alberto Fernandez, the director of public diplomacy in the state department's bureau of near eastern affairs, issued a terse written apology through the department's press office.
"Upon reading the transcript of my appearance on al-Jazeera, I realised that I seriously misspoke by using the phrase 'there has been arrogance and stupidity' by the US in Iraq," Mr Fernandez said.
"This represents neither my views nor those of the state department. I apologise." Mr Fernandez recorded his unusually candid comments during an interview with the Arabic satellite channel in Washington on Friday. Speaking in Arabic, he said the US had "tried to do our best [in Iraq], but I think there is much room for criticism because, undoubtedly, there was arrogance and there was stupidity from the United States in Iraq".
"If we are witnessing failure in Iraq, it's not the failure of the United States alone. Failure would be a disaster for the region." The remarks were widely reported across the region.
US officials had sought to play down Mr Fernandez's assessment of the security situation in Iraq.
The state department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters that Mr Fernandez said after the broadcast he doubted reports of his comments were an "accurate reflection of what he said". Asked whether the Bush administration believed that history would show a record of arrogance or stupidity in Iraq, Mr McCormack replied, "No".
However, a transcript of Mr Fernandez's comments, translated into English by the Associated Press, revealed the accuracy of the reported quotes.
But wait, there's more:
Among several controversial statements, Mr Fernandez ruled out a military solution in Iraq. He said the US was ready to talk with any Iraqi group - with the exception of al-Qaida in Iraq - to reach national reconciliation and try to end sectarian conflict and the nationalist insurgency.
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