Ironically, as I attempted to spotlight centuries of misunderstandings between East and West, a few key Republican-based government officials (Pres. Bush and colleagues) misunderstood my promotion of peace with Muslims and my book offering solutions to bridge East-West tensions.
Rather than perceiving my work as a help to more intelligent diplomacy and responsible foreign policy, it was interpreted by some as an attempt to sabotage certain ideologically based policies.
On the contrary, all aspects of foreign engagement depend on and are strengthened by each other, when applied strategically. As a member of the Veteran's Affairs committee during my first term in Congress, I have always felt strongly for our veterans. The thousands who create a strong military defense as the backbone behind peaceful overtures are crucial in order for an intelligent diplomacy to work. Yet in past administrations, our defense agencies have been asked to take a surprisingly offensive stance, wielded aggressively in propagating ideologies that might have been more easily spread through peaceful measures.
Far from sabotage, my efforts are aimed at reducing bloodshed and creating space for trust to develop between nations. When a team of like-minded individuals visited Saddam's regime in 2002 as an attempt to gain cooperation; we hoped to divert from the impending onset of war. While Iraq's leaders were surprisingly open, top U.S. officials were not.....>>>Rest Here
Mark Siljander's Book: "A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman's Quest to Bridge the Muslim-Christian Divide"
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