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Richardson Would Name Envoy to Build Muslim Ties

Democratic Presidential hopeful, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson addresses a forum sponsored by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Tuesday, June 19, 2007. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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Richardson Would Name Envoy to Build Muslim Ties

By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Jul 19, 2007 at 3:25 PM CST

Story Updated: Jul 19, 2007 at 3:25 PM CST

DES MOINES (AP) - Democrat Bill Richardson says that if he wins the White House, he will name a top-level envoy assigned to rebuilding shattered ties to the Muslim world.

Richardson is also calling for a "multilateral Marshall Plan" to rebuild the Middle East.

Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, spelled out his foreign policy views in a speech in Des Moines Thursday. It was to a group called the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy.

Much of the address focused on repairing what Richardson says a failed policy in the Middle East. He focused on the war in Iraq, which has put the U.S. at odds with much of the Muslim world.

Richardson is also calling upon the U.S. to lead by example and live up to its ideals. He says that prisoner abuse, torture, secret prisons, rendition and evasion of the Geneva conventions must have no place in U.S. policy.

Richardson says he would employ many of the same tactics used to rebuild Europe after World War Two. Much of the effort would be aimed at supporting public education, which he says is the best way of fighting extremism.

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