1 mees

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

As you probably know there is a huge amount of anti-US and anti-war feelings in Estonia. I, on the other hand, support the USA and the war to topple Saddam Hussein's regime.

Can you please, once and for all, so that even every moron could understand, explain the principles of US policy towards Iraqi present regime. Maybe that would bring people to their sences.

What do you personally think, for how long does the US military have to remain in Iraq? Six months, a year? What is your estimate?

Are you a Republican or a Democrat? I assume that you're a republican since you were named the Ambassador by current president, but still I need assurance.

If an enemy, foreign or domestic, attacks Estonia, would the US (and NATO) rush to help this time, so that the events on 1940 would not repeat? If so, how can you guarantee it?

You speak many languages, even Farsi (that I have never heard of), and you are learning Estonian. Say something in Estonian, please.

You have talked a lot about the Jewish issues, especially about the lack of willing of prosecuting nazi criminals in Estonia, which in my opinion is true, i.e. I feel the same. Are you yourself Jewish? Ethnically or by religion, both or neither?

Where do you want to go next as Ambassador, if you plan to continue this kind of diplomatic work?

Thank you very much in advance for your answers.

On Iraq: We have gone to war very reluctantly after twelve years of effort in the United Nations. During that time the UN Security Council passed 17 resolutions all of which said the same thing: That Iraq was violating the cease fire that ended the Gulf War, that Iraq had produced and refused to destroy illegal weapons of mass destruction, and that Iraq was guilty of very serious violations of the human rights of its citizens and of the citizens of Kuwait.

In the last such security council resolution, the position of all 15 members of the council was made very clear: 1) Iraq continued to be in violation of the cease fire; 2) this resolution was Iraq's last chance to comply; and 3) if Iraq did not comply, serious consequences would follow. I do not think I can come up with a more clear and simple explanation of my government's position. In his speech to the UN General Assembly in September, President Bush stated directly what serious consequences Iraq would face if it did not comply. He said a coalition would disarm Iraq militarily and Saddam's Hussein's regime would lose power.

Thus, our aims are rather clear. 1) The regime of Saddam Hussein will lose power. 2) We will find and destroy Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. 3) We will return Iraq and its resource back to its own people to a government of their choosing and 4) we will leave Iraq.

It is too early to say how long this last part will take, but I can assure you we will stay only as long as it takes for a representative Iraqi government to be chosen.

My Political Position: I cannot assure you that I am a member of any political party in the United States. I have been a diplomat in the career service for 25 years. I have served presidents of the Democratic Party for more than 11 years and presidents of the Republican Party for almost 14 years.

With regard to Estonian Security: I cannot say things better than President Bush said it in Vilnius in November. He said that by joining NATO, the Baltic States could be sure that: "an enemy of yours has made an enemy of the United States of America."

renton

Dear Mr DeThomas,

As far as I know, the USA has - thanks to the drug (marijuana) war - the largest percentage of prisoners in the world (mostly marijuana dealers), over 100 billion dollars have been spent on war against marijuana, but consumer rates have not dropped. I am just afraid that something like that (spending huge amount of money and putting lots of people in prison for possessing a substance that is less harmful that alcohol) is going to happen in Estonia, too. Here are my two questions:

1) Which alternative do you advise to Estonians - war against marijuana (like the USA) or legalization of marijuana to a certain extent (like Switzerland, Canada, Belgium, Netherlands)?

2) Do you think that DARE programs are effective? Don't they cause cognitive dissonance in children?

Thank you.

Renton

We do not support the legalization of marijuana. But, this is not the main issue. Hard narcotics and drug addiction have taken a terrible toll in my country and are beginning to do the same here. I have no particular brilliant answer to this problem but I will tell you that a combination of drug prevention, drug treatment, and uncompromising law enforcement must be taken by any country facing this terrible plague.

seargant

Mr De Thomas,

have you ever perceived that you are intervening too much into local matters? do you feel ashamed of our politicians who have no other choice but to behave according to the guidances that you impart?

aren't you afraid that you will resemble Andrei Zhdanov for us?

answer to first question: no.

answer to second question: no.

answer to third question: a) no. b) if you seriously believed the premise you would probably not have put this in public and if you had the NKVD would have already knocked on your door and taken you away.

Urmo

Dear sir,

Can you predict what kind of reaction would come from side of USA officials if Estonian officials suggest them to start kind of "holocaust day" in USA in memoriam of mistreated and killed native americans?

My country and my government are mature enough to welcome a reasoned discussion of the past. We have learned to discuss our problems and our difficulties openly. It has helped us preserve our democracy for over two centuries. As you can see from many of the questions in this interview, we have no problem in having citizens of other countries raise issues about our policies and our laws. It is part of being a democracy in a community of democracies. We all help eachother protect freedom. I believe it is only in totalitarian states that people are told that everything in their societies is perfect and that they have to behave towards outsiders that everything is perfect. Certainly the only nations I have every come across that claim perfection at home and abroad have been dictatorships.

nemka

Mr DeThomas,

Would you like to answer to some questions I interested in:

Please explain, what is the reason, why US attacked Iraqi? In your opinion, are the military actions (on the territory of independent country) legal? (say, from point of view of statute of UN& or, say from point of view of the strongest part, involved into&into what?).

What countries US are planning to attack after this war? Why?

Who had worked out the plan of security of US embassy in Tallinn? I mean, who personally proposed those cosmetic restrictions in the traffic in city centre?

Thank you and all the best for you and people of US

Nemka

As you probably know, the war authorized by the UN Security Council in 1991 against Iraq never ended. The fighting halted under a cease fire, the provisions of which appear in UNSCR 687. Based on many findings of the Security Council since 1991, it is clear Iraq repeatedly violated the cease fire. Those violations plus UN Security Council Resolution 1441 passed last year provide ample legal justification for the actions of the coalition.

I am saddened by the question about "plans to attack". We have had to put our young men and women at risk and many Iraqis have had to suffer becuase Saddam Hussein violated the requirements of the Security Council and of international law for the past 12 years. We have spent those years trying every means short of war we could find, including diplomacy, the UN, inspections, economic sanctions, public pressure, and even previous limited military strikes to find a means short of war to see international law enforced. No American likes to our sons and daughters put at risk. War is not game and it is the last resort of all last resorts.

I will answer the question on Embassy security later in the interview.

reader

What is your nationality? What are doing your family ? What is your wife s profession?

My grandparents were from Italy.

My son goes to secondary school in the Washington DC area. My wife is here with me. She, like me is a foreign policy professional and is an expert in European Affairs.

mk

Dear Sir,

You probably know who was (is) Che Guevara. Would you ever wear T-shirt with his face?

first answer: yes

second answer: no

Rudolf Osman

Dear Mr. Ambassador!

Can You describe Estonians as negotiators in a few sentences and perhaps add a list of adjectives that would characterize Estonian negotiating style? Straightforwardness would be appreciated.

For an American, it is a delight to negotiate with Estonians. They are serious people. They say what they mean; they know what they are talking about; and the do what they say they will do.

ann

Which is your favourite writers and why? Do you like read books? Which kind of books do you like to read and why? Do you know I.Bashevis Singer s book "Slaver"?

Thanks

I don't know the book, but now that you have recommended it I will find out about it and read it.

sass

What is your favourite food? What is your favourite music? What is your hobbies?`

I would walk a long way for a good pizza. Do you have any recommendations? There is probably no kind of music I don't like. Currently, I am listening to a lot of K.D. Laing. The hobbly I should be pursuing is tennis, but I have been lazy. I enjoy dancing. I also am addicted to computer games.

Kari

In your lecture at Concordia University more than a year ago you said that the rift between the US and Europe is a to a large extent just media hype and that the US and Europe have been and will continue to be close allies and friends. Do you still feel this way or do you think that the invasion of Iraq have changed this?

I would also like to know how these events have influenced the US position in the diplomatic community. If you personally felt that the war was illegitimate and morally wrong, would you have resigned from your position? Have there been any senior officials in the US government or diplomats who have done so because of the way the crisis was handled?

I was at Concordia just yesterday. There I said that it was essential that we get the Transatlantic relationship back on track. There will be a day after our disagreements in Iraq. On that day we will face a world literally thirsting for the peace, prosperity and freedom Europe has finally achieved. That can only happen if Europe and the US work together. If we allow emotion, resentment and silly caricatures of our positions to destroy what we have built over the last fifty years, we will not be forgiven.

Forgot to answer the last part: I am unaware of any senior officials resigning, but several of my diplomatic service colleagues have done so.

Erkki Masing

1. Why can USA own nuclear weapons and Iraq not? Who says so? Bush? And who is Bush to say so?

2. Why USA wants to desarm Iraq, who has never use nuclear weapon and why should UNO not to desarm USA, who used nuclear weapon against Hiroshima and Nagasaki and killed hundred thousands innocent civilians?

President Bush is held personally responible for the security of the American people. He and our government have concluded that the single greatest threat to the secuirity of the American people is the possibility that terrorists will obtain weapons of mass destruction from states that support terrorism and use them in another Sept. 11 attack. We have the deaths of 3000 American civilians to remind us that this is a possibility. The president therefore has concluded that a terrorist supporting state like Iraq having weapons of mass destruction is a threat so great to the American people that he has had to make the most difficult and horrible decision that is in the hands of a President: to risk the lives of our sons and daughters. That is who President Bush is.

On your second question, it might interest you to know that one year after Hiroshima, the United States offered to turn all its nuclear weapons over to the UN. This was blocked by the Soviet Union.

Questions

1. Do You believe in God?

2. What kind of church member are you?

3. What is the best thing in Estonia?

4. What do You know about Estonia when You lived in USA?

5. What kind of music do You prefer?

1. Yes.

2. I am a Roman Catholic. (For other readers who wanted to know if I am Jewish either ethnically or religiously, the answer is no. I have no religious links, family links or other direct personal ties to Judaism)

Alan Field

What would You say about Donald Rumsfeld's plans on using chemical weapons in Iraq? Would it destroy the conventions restricting the use of chemical weapons - and start a new round of profiliation around the world? If not, why not?

Last week Bush authorised US troops to use teargas in Iraq. He is permitted to do so by an executive order published in 1975 by Gerald Ford, which overrides, within the US, the 1925 Geneva protocol on chemical weapons. While this may prevent Bush's impeachment in America, it has no standing in international law.

How would You comment on that?

First. There are no plans to use chemical weapons.

Second. I find it hilarious that there would be an expression of such moral outrage over tear gas -- a common riot control agent -- in the context of Iraq, where Saddam Hussein used lethal nerve agents leading to the death of thousands of his own citizens (not to mention hundreds of thousands of Iranian soldiers.)

My country frequently is accused of all sorts of double moral standards. But this one is really for the record books.

I cannot dignify this combination of misinformation and utter disregard for the facts with my usual good humor and politeness.

Põnn

Mr. DeThomas

Why is Israel occupying the territory of the State of Palestine? How long will Israel stay there? Does US support this occupation? ? Can there be any hope for peace in the Middle East before Israel withdraws from occupied territories? Do you see any solution at all?

In fact, there is no state of Palestine. However, the President has said publicly we support the creation of a democratic Palestinian State within I believe three years. We are going to put our proposed road map for Middle East peace to the Palestians and Israelis as soon as the Palestinian Prime Minister is confirmed. We have no illusions about how hard the road to peace will be.

Lilou

Dear Mr Ambassador,

I have a question cuncerning U.S Visa. The expiration date of my U.S Visa is in 2010, but I have to exchange my Estonian passport at the end of this year. What happens with the visa?

Thank You in advance!

For all readers with visa questions: please go to www.usemb.ee. If you have questions about your personal cases, e mail visatallinn@state.gov.

jaan

Your Excellency Joseph Michael DeThomas:1. Why did the U.S.A. cancel the Atlantic Charter in the Yalta Conference by giving half of Europe to Stalin? 2. Why the U.S.A. does not denounce Stalion's terror? 3.Why does the U.S.A. claim the honor of collapsing the Soviet Union, as it was the people of the Soviet Union who eroded the Soviet Union to a point of collapse?

The United States spent more than forty years and 5 trillion dollars combatting Stalinism and its successors. That is statement enough.

Juhani Tali

Mr DeThomas,

Has the embassy considered relocation to less crowded location, with more space around? Kentmanni is perhaps a little too narrow street and other houses are too close, less curious eyes. In Finland the Embassy is surrounded with a beton wall.

You are quite correct. Unfortunately, the same can be said for many U.S. Embassies in many countries, including some under much more immediate terrorist threat. This means that my government has only a limited ability to address our problems here and we have to do the best we can. It takes ten years and about 100 million dollars to build an American Embassy.

Estonian

Why hasn't US done anything to help Chehnya??? Is it because they are afraid to go to war with Russia?? Is Bush afraid of Putin?

Because Putin has also weapons of mass destruction!!!

And why is this visa system so dehumanizing and people being discriminated in US embassy in Tallinn? There is no such laws out there that you have to be married and own a lot of real estate before you can travel to US. Unfortunatley that's the reason they give most of the applicants after rejection.

There were many questions about Chechnya.

It remains our position that the conflict in Chehcny cannot be resolved militarily and requires a political solution. We have made this point repeatedly to the Russians. We urge the Russians to pursue a political settlement and to establish a meaningful accountability for human rights violations by its armed forces in Chechnya. We also condemn acts of terrorism and other abuses armed Chechen groups.

Aivar Künnapuu

Your Excellence,

I highly appreciate Your efforts in learning Estonian.

We’ve had few ambassadors who have, while representing political and economical interests of their governments, still left good memories to the hearts of local people.

What would You like to be remembered by when continuing with your career?

Thank You!

An excellent question and I don't have a perfect answer.

I would suggest:

He tried to get to know us.

He visited every county and every major town in the country.

He respected us enough to tell us the truth and to treat us as equals.

He was not afraid to speak for his government even when he knew it would make him unpopular and would get him insulted.

asking for equal time

Mr. Ambassador: while this writer fully acknowledges the horror of what the Nazis and their accomplices did to Jews, Gypsies and Estonians during the three years of German WW II occupation of Estonia, the number of lives lost and the duration of the combined Soviet occupations enormously eclipse the Nazi period. When will the US Embassy begin dedicating time to these dark chapters in proportion to their significance to the host country? When will the US begin funding an Office of Soviet Investigations or an Office of Communist Investigations designed to systematically condemn and bring to jutice the few surviving communist war criminals, torturers and executioners who terrorized Central and Eastern Europe (and Cambodia and several other victim societies?). A few more years and it will be too late. Is this the objective? Surely it must be the gravity of the offenses and even-handed consistency of approach that interests the US government - a country that practices and advocates the rule of law - and not the ethnic origin or the religious orientation of the victims? Even-handedness is what we're asking for. Most Estonians are in agreement that German atrocities and Soviet Russian atrocities must be handled using the same legal yardsticks, and that the consequences for the perpetrators should be the same.

You are correct that there were many crimes against humanity. I have personally participated in events commemorating victims of Soviet crimes in Estonia. However, the legal structures the US government pursues regarding the Holocaust are unique to that particular set of crimes. In large part, this is because many survivors of the Holocaust fled to the US and are now U.S. citizens. They look to U.S. law for redress. Similarly, many perpetrators of the Holocaust fled to the U.S. under false pretenses and obtained U.S. citizenship. We needed a special legal structure to deal with these individuals.

Peeter Annus

Dear Mr. Ambassador!

1. Former vicepresident Gore said a US attack on Iraq would give also license to other nations that may feel the need to strike preemptively. In your opinion, how will the new US National Security Strategy influence global security in a long run?.

2. Former president Carter has said that for the U.S. to act (to attack Iraq) without the U.N. would be a breach of international law. Do you agree with the expresident?

3. Iraqi war citation from ... http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid=12812

671&method=full&siteid=50143

We had a great day," said Sgt Eric Schrumpf of the US Marines last Saturday. "We killed a lot of people." He added: "We dropped a few civilians, but what do you do?" He said there were women standing near an Iraqi soldier, and one of them fell when he and other Marines opened fire. "I'm sorry," said Sgt Schrumpf, "but the chick was in the way".

How do you characterize the attitude of Sgt Eric Schrumpf?

4. US Secretary of State Colin Powell said: "There is no question the UN will play an IMPORTANT ROLE (in post-war Iraq)." He added: "The coalition, having spent the treasure, having taken the political risk and having paid the cost in lives, must have a LEADING ROLE as we transit from a phase of hostilities to post-hostilities to reconstruction, to putting in place a representative government that belongs to the Iraqi people."

So it seems, the LEADING ROLE is kind of a compensation for the coalition. What will be included in the compensation?

5. Does US trade deficit pose a significant risk to global financial stability? If OPEC countries would switch to euro as oil transactions currency, will dollar survive?

With regard to question number 4, the President said that the UN will play a vital role. But the most important thing he said was that the peace in Iraq is not about the UN, it is not about the US, and it is certainly not about contracts in Iraq. The LEAD role and the CENTRAL role is for Iraqis. It will first be played by an interim authority made up of a group of Iraqis from inside the country and from the exile community. They will increasingly take on issues of civil administration, reconstruction, and the formation of a representative government. As soon as is possible an Iraqi government will be elected. The role of the coalition will be to provide initiatl security, relief and reconstruction. The UN will also have a role in this field and in providing a legal authority for the interim body to do things like conduct the oil for food program.

HYPOCRITE!!!

Dear Mr. Ambassador

1) Why did You think it was necessary to appologize about the Harry Männil case? You said the accusation came in the wrong political timing...

Does it mean that you appologized because Your statement made it more difficult for our government to distribute the "american point of view" to present situation in the world?

2) If this is correct, then correct me if I`m wrong, but my logic says, that when you are an USA ally, then you get double standards as a bonus.

my government's views and my own are unchanged.

Heli

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

I would like you to explain, what right does the US Embassy have to close a street in the centre of Tallinn???

For security reasons? This is absurd. There must be other ways to protect your embassy.

I just can not imagine that the USA would even consider of using the same tactics for example in London or Paris. This seems to be just another example of the unbelievable arrogance of the americans towards a very small nation. If all the embassies would use methods similar to yours, then the Estonians would have no access to central Tallinn.

Kind regards.

among the capital cities where streets are fully are partially closed for security for U.S. government facilities are the cities of Vienna, Oslo, Berlin and Washington DC. The main street of my capital city is closed for the very same reason the street here is closed. We wish we did not live in a world where this was necessary. I must tell you from personal experience, however, that there are people in the world so intent on killing Americans that they will kill as many innocent people as necessary to do so. I recommend that you ask the survivors of the hundreds of citizens of Nairobi who were murdered by al Qaida in the bombing of our Embassy in Nairobi. The design and location of our Embassy there was very similar to the situation here.

estonian

Do you speak estonian?

Eestlane

Ma proovin aga minu arvuti on parit ameerikiast. arvuti ei oska eesti keelt.

Thank your for your attention. I regret I do not have the time to answer all the questions posted. I particularly appreciate the individuals who were willing to express their opinions -- in a foreign language at that -- and who were willing to put their names on their opinions. I have some experience with the kind of treatment people get from anonymous sources whenever they speak their minds in public.

Praegu toimub Iraagis USA ja tema liitlaste sõda sealse diktaatori Saddam Husseini režiimi vastu. See on tekitanud palju vastakaid arvamusi kogu maailmas ning kindlasti on sellega seoses paljudel ka küsimusi tekkinud.

Hr. DeThomas on USA valitsuse kõrgeim võimuesindaja Eestis, seega saab vaid tema anda kõige adekvaatsemaid vastuseid teie kõikvõimalikele küsimustele, mis Ameerika Ühendriike ja selle poliitikat puudutavad.

Joseph DeThomas astus USA suursaadikuna Eestis ametisse 9. novembril 2001.

Suure osa oma 24aastasest diplomaadikarjäärist töötas ta Euroopa ja globaalse julgeoleku alal. Ta on olnud Euroopa Liidu ja regionaalasjade büroo direktor, poliitiliste-sõjaliste asjade büroo direktor jpm.

Suursaadik sai nii bakalaureuse kui magistrikraadi Pennsylvania ülikoolist, lisaks on tal magistrikraad Harvardist.

DeThomas sündis Eastonis, Pennsylvanias. Ta räägib saksa, hispaania ja farsi keelt ning praegu õpib eesti keelt.

Ta on abielus ja kahe lapse isa.