Finally, in a situation desperate for some good news - we finally got some. In the middle of what has become an annual hike to the Hill to ask for more money for Iraq, Secretary of State Rice dropped a little surprise on us all:
I am pleased to tell Members of Congress that there is now being formed a neighbors conference to support Iraq. This conference is being spearheaded, and properly so, by the government of Iraq. Invitees will include Iraqs immediate neighbors, as well as representatives from other regional states, multilateral organizations, and the UN Permanent Five (the U.S., France, Britain, Russia and China). I would note that both Syria and Iran are among Iraqs neighbors invited to attend.
It would appear that this was an announcement that the Administration wanted to be heard. The excerpts of Rice's prepared remarks posted on State's Web site focused exclusively on this area of her remarks. Immediate reactions from Iran seem to be positive, so despite the fact that this is something the U.S. might have done about three years ago, we'll all have to file this in the "we'll take what we can get at this point" folder.
(An about face of this magnitude is almost enough to get us to ignore that in the Administration's $5.99 billion supplemental request, only $20 mil is slotted for public diplomacy.)
Comments (1)
I don't think it is appropriate that this is an "about face" as much as acceptance. First, the Administration, including of course, has gone to great pains to make it clear IRAQ invited Syria and Iran and not the US.
More on Rice is found at one of her, er, not so much of a fan bloggers, Armchair Generalist.
P.S.
Wouldn't it be interesting to see what the $20m is intended to be used for. more interesting is what it WILL be used for.
Posted by MountainRunner | February 28, 2007 11:28 AM
Posted on February 28, 2007 11:28