Bush Administration Condemns Iraq Resolution, Then Uses It As A Diplomatic Strategy

[sabra]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/02/19/rice-resolution/

Bush Administration Condemns Iraq Resolution, Then Uses It As A Diplomatic Strategy

The White House and its conservative allies have been arguing that the congressional debate over a non-binding resolution on Iraq is sending the wrong message to Iraqis about our commitment. “What signal does it send to the Iraqis in terms of steadfastness?” asked Press Secretary Tony Snow this week.

But in her recent trip to Iraq, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice used the debate as part of a diplomatic strategy to urge Iraqi political leaders to accelerate their efforts to produce results on the economic and security conditions in Iraq. The NY Times reported:

Ms. Rice said she used the restiveness in Washington to underline for Iraqi officials the spread of American frustration with Iraq’s lagging political and economic progress.

She said she had ”made clear that some of the debate in Washington is, in fact, indicative of the concerns that the American people have about the prospects for success” if Iraq’s leaders did not quickly take actions to ensure longer-term stability.

[rodeodance]

1. yes, I heard Carl Levin say this on a Talk Sunday show yesterday!

[rodeodance]

2. they will grab unto anything --another new 'strategy"!!

[bigtree]

3. of course she did. where else would they find anything to point to in the administration

that would make them believe we would leave?