Woulda Coulda Shoulda
Condoleezza Rice explains that there'll be no new diplomatic initiatives with Iran and Syria because "neither country should need incentives to foster stability in Iraq." What's more, she "also said there would be no retreat from the administration's push to promote democracy in the Middle East."
Seriously, people, it's time to grow up. Sitting around in the Situation Room and deciding that other countries just should do what we want them to do so there's no need for diplomacy is insane. The way the world works is that if you want some countries to do some things, you need to discuss this fact with them, ascertain what their actual views on the matter are, see what they would want you to do in exchange, and then make a decision. Rice rejected this option "saying the 'compensation' required by any deal might be too high." Get that again. She won't talk to Syria and Iran to explore options because the price might -- might -- be too high. Why not find out?
The interaction of this "they should do it anyway" view with the democracy view is especially toxic. Promoting democracy, in this context, means putting an anti-Iranian government in Baghdad, putting an anti-Syrian government in Lebanon, and overthrowing the regimes in Damascus and Teheran. Let that be as desirable as you like, but it's obvious that neither Syria or Iran is going to help us bring stability to anything as long as that remains the medium-term objective of our policy. Most insanely of all, given the circumstances insisting on "the administration's push to promote democracy in the Middle East" isn't going to actually promote democracy in the Middle East. It's just going to ensure that Iraq slips ever-deeper into chaos and that we more-and-more lose our grip on the situation.
Comments
Add to the top the gigantic dose of irony as exactly as she is talking up promoting democracy we are busy intervening in the composition of the ruling political coalition in Iraq. Apparently democracy just means "rule by American people."
You're misreading the use of the word "should" here, Matthew.
Rice used the word "should" purely as a slam against the Iraq Survey Group, which used "should" in the context of Iran and Syria throughout their report in a most ridiculous manner. It had nothing whatsoever to do with Iran and Syria and everything to do with more pushback against the report, and should be seen in that context.
If we don't need to negotiate because everyone knows what they should do, we surely don't need a secretary of state. Time to realize some economies from this new approach!
This is exactly why I have criticized liberal bloggers for writing about "24". Pre-9/11 it might have been a fun show to watch. Post-9/11, post-Iraq invasion, it is part of the culture of empire that the Radicals have been working very hard to build.
"But its only a TV show". Right. A TV show that works directly at the emotional level of the brain to paint the entire world in Radical frames. Part and parcel.
Cranky
Also, even if they *should* do it anyway, isn't it worth talking to them to establish *how*?
This case isn't that bad. Syria had claimed that the U.S. should negotiate with them because Syria, too, had an interest in a stable Iraq. As cast in Israeli media, Rice's comments were effectively (I don't remember the quotes involved), "Then if they have an interest in a stable Iraq, they don't need us to negotiate with them to get them to stabilize it."
I'm with william, even if Iran and Syria were chomping at the bit to help stabalize Iraq, which at this point is more like embalming the corpse of the country to prevent it from rotting further, than we would at least want to talk to them in order to coordinate our efforts.
And this bit just kills me: "She said she did not want to trade away Lebanese sovereignty to Syria or allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon as a price for peace in Iraq."
Seriously, if you have't even talked to them, how do you know that that is what their demands will be? And even if those are their demands, you can always negotiate or even refuse to do a deal.
This 'talking is a sign of weakness' is freeking pathological.
There's probably an Israeli connection here. Syria wants to resume peace talks; Olmert is publicly focused on the Palestinian track and probably doesn't want to meet Syria's conditions for resuming talks, which is usually withdrawal to the 1967 lines. I suspect Syria's price for cooperating with the U.S. would be for us to help deliver Israel to the negotiating table.
The central critique against the "antiwar" left is that they're crazy because they think people should all just hold hands and sing kumbayah, and that if we all just recognize "war is bad," then people would stop doing it.
This is an equally insane "kumbayah" approach to foreign policy. It's fantasyland.
What's terrifying is that, unlike the "kumbayah" view, it's not being advocated by a bunch of old guys in a park with guitars. It's being advocated by the people who are setting our foreign policy.
which used "should" in the context of Iran and Syria throughout their report in a most ridiculous manner.
Why, I've read that before.
Y'know, if Rice is shaping her public policy pronouncements in order to work in obscure verbal slams against her political opponents she (and the rest of the Administration) really need to grow up. Wouldn't it have been more effective to read her speech in a whiny James Baker voice or something?
Also, the passage containing "should" isn't actually a quote from Rice. What she said was "If they have an interest in a stable Iraq, they will do it anyway," which is still dumb.
Most insanely of all, given the circumstances insisting on "the administration's push to promote democracy in the Middle East" isn't going to actually promote democracy in the Middle East.
I'm gonna keep driving this truck West till I get to California. The fact that it is stuck in a ditch isn't a reason to back up; it's a reason to rev the engine even harder. The fact that I am not getting anywhere is the ditch's fault, not mine.
This is an equally insane "kumbayah" approach to foreign policy. It's fantasyland.
They really are war hippies, right down to the flower (and candy) power.
The ISG report and both regimes in Syria and Iran are just commas so what are they worried about ?
How much of these paternalistic pronouncements are PR or is what they REALLY believe is a question that interests me. I am sure Bush believes it and I know that it is what Rice tells him. What does the Wunderkind herself believes ?? Kissinger still has influence and big speaking fees so I guess this administration is another comma as well.
Unfortunately, your post makes it clear that it probably would be somewhat pointless for the administration to engage in talks with Syria and Iran. I mean, it seems likely that the "cost" of getting somewhere with those countries would be for the US to overhaul its foreign policy (e.g., to stop agitating for regime change). And what are the chances of Bush changing anything? It's an absurd and dangerous situation, but there you have it.
brooksfoe -
First of all, revving the engine harder in mud or snow just gets you stuck more (rock back and forth), but I digress...
All sorts of people told you NOT to take that road to California, that you couldn't get there by that route, but, no, you knew better. And just who drove off the road into the ditch? You did. And when someone (let's say, your dad GHWB) calls AAA to come tow you out, and when they get there (let's call them the ISG) your car is sinking fast and there's no way to get it out, you become enraged at the AAA guy for his lack of options that you like, even though you took a bad road, drove off it, and let it sink - all by yourself. Did I miss anything?
Your view of "the way the world works" would be charming if you were 4 years old.
And Bush's New Way Forward is going to be:
Putting Lipstick on "Stay the Course"
Thanks
Best regards
mirc
mirç
mırc
mırç
mircturk
turkmirc
mirc indir
mirc yukle
forum
forum
mirc
turkmirc
turkmirc
turkforum
sohbet
Good comment.Thanks admin.
Thanks
Best regards
mirc
mirç
mırc
mırç
mircturk
turkmirc
mirc indir
mirc yukle
mirch
mırch
mirc turk
turk mirc
mırcturk
turkmırc
mırc turk
turk mırc
turkiyemirc
türkiyemirc
turkiye mirc
türkiye mirc
mircturkiye
mirctürkiye
mirc turkiye
mircturk
turkmırc
muhabbet
forum
forum
turkforum
turkiyeforum
mirc
turkmirc
toplist
site ekle
pagerank
turkmirc
turkforum
sohbet
chat
sohbet odaları
bedava sohbet
bedava chat
türk
karar
thanksss
thanks
I like very much the writings and pictures and explanations in your adress so I look forward to see your next writings. I congratulate you.
gytu
thank you tebrikler devamını diliyorum..
chat
muhabbet
mirc
evden eve nakliyat
sevgi
mirc
chat
chat
mirc
sohbet
kelebek
Post A Comment