posted on May 8, 2007 08:09:38 AM new
OH MY GAWD! DIPLOMACY AS A BACKUP PLAN!!!
Cheney to Follow Rice to Middle East
Updated 6:31 AM ET May 8, 2007
By TOM RAUM
WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Dick Cheney is reaching out to moderate Arab leaders for help in bringing stability to Iraq, a mission that will include pleas for postwar support for minority party Sunnis.
Cheney departs Tuesday on a weeklong mission to the Middle East, right after a visit to the region by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
While Rice's trip had a wide-ranging agenda that included other tensions in the region, administration officials said Cheney would focus largely on the next steps in Iraq.
Cheney's first stop will be Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Other announced stops include Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. Cheney also will visit the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis in the Persian Gulf.
posted on May 13, 2007 05:36:10 AM new
U.S. Ready to Discuss Iraq With Iran
Updated 7:49 AM ET May 13, 2007
By TOM RAUM
CAIRO (AP) - The United States is willing to talk to Iran so long as the conversations are limited to Iraq, a spokeswoman for Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday. Cheney is visiting the region to try to encourage more support for the Iraqi government.
"We are willing to have that conversation limited to Iraq issues at the ambassador level," said Lea Anne McBride. She said the willingness is not a new position, but reflects an earlier-stated U.S. position. (L I A R )
She spoke after Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said that Tehran has agreed to a formal request from the U.S. to talk about security in Iraq during meetings in Baghdad, the country's official news agency reported.
The report said Iran had received the request through the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which often acts as an intermediary for the U.S. in the country.
McBride said she didn't have all the specifics. But she said Iran's comments appeared to be a reference to what the U.S. has called "the Baghdad channel."
"Iran has agreed to this (negotiation) after consultation with Iraqi officials, in order to lessen the pain of the Iraqi people, support the Iraqi government and establish security and peace in Iraq," the Iranian agency quoted Mohammad Ali Hosseini, spokesman of Iran's foreign ministry, as saying.
The report said the negotiations would be held in Baghdad.
Cheney was in Cairo on Sunday to hold a short round of talks on the future of Iraq with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a key American ally in the region. Cheney is trying to shore up support amid growing skepticism across the Arab world toward the effectiveness of the Bush administration's military buildup in Iraq.
Cheney, on a mission to persuade moderate Arab states to do more to support the Iraqi government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, came here from Aqaba, Jordan, and was returning to Jordan after the meeting.
The vice president was also seeking to counter growing Iranian influence across the region.
At a welcoming ceremony at the presidential palace, Mubarak and Cheney discussed the weather before heading behind closed doors to discuss more substantive matters.
"It's unusual weather for May, very, very hot," said the longtime Egyptian president.
"I usually come in August," said Cheney.
"Yes," said Mubarak, "you've been here many times."
The United States has praised Mubarak, who just turned 79 and is serving his fifth six-year term, for hosting a conference on Iraq earlier this month at Sharm el-Sheikh, a resort at the tip of the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. That session brought together representatives of the U.S., Iran and Syria.
Cheney planned to return to Jordan later Sunday, ending his weeklong trip to the Middle East with talks with Jordan's King Abdullah. He flies home to Washington on Monday, ending a trip that has also taken him to Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and to the carrier USS John C. Stennis in the Persian Gulf to rally troops.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
posted on May 13, 2007 11:13:23 AM new
U.S. Ready to Discuss Iraq With Iran
By TOM RAUM
Associated Press Writer
CAIRO (AP) -
The U.S. said Sunday it is willing to talk to Iran if discussions deal only with Iraq, where the Bush administration says Tehran is undermining the Baghdad government and exporting deadly roadside bombs.
"We are willing to have that conversation limited to Iraq issues at the ambassador level," Vice President Dick Cheney's spokeswoman said after he met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Lea Anne McBride said the willingness to talk with the Iranians about security issues in Iraq is consistent with U.S. policy and does not reflect a new position.
"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
Are YOU a Bunghole?