Rice's Mideast visit draws mixed reviews

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ap_on_re_mi_ea/rice;_ylt=AmgoT0YRTXUs6coFK2Cd8QCs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

Rice's Mideast visit draws mixed reviews

By KATHERINE SHRADER, Associated Press Writer 52 minutes ago

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice won praise from Israel but little enthusiasm from its Arab neighbors as she shuttled between Middle East cities Tuesday, still lacking a formula for ending Israeli-Hezbollah fighting or for long-term peace.


Two days into her high-stakes diplomatic mission, Rice was exploring options for enforcing peace after the fighting does stop between Israel and the Hezbollah militia.

Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, traveling with Rice, told reporters that a cease-fire cannot be reached overnight. Another senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity about international forces that might be sent to southern Lebanon, said such troops would not "shoot their way in," indicating fighting would have to be quelled first.

Rice arrived in Rome late Tuesday for meetings with European and moderate Arab officials about the fighting along the border between Lebanon and Israel. Many of those diplomats were expected to push the United States to urge Hezbollah and Israel to end their clash soon.

[rodeodance]

1. Rice said the time had come for a new Middle East.

,,,,,But standing beside Olmert in Israel, Rice said the time had come for a new Middle East.

"It is time to say to those that don't want a different kind of Middle East that we will prevail. They will not," she said.

"I have no doubt there are those who wish to strangle a democratic and sovereign Lebanon in its crib," Rice said. "We, of course, also urgently want to end the violence."

Olmert welcomed his ally warmly, vowing that "Israel is determined to carry on this fight against Hezbollah." He said his government "will not hesitate to take severe measures against those who are aiming thousands of rockets and missiles against innocent civilians for the sole purpose of killing them."

A senior Israeli official present at the talks said the two countries were in full agreement about Israel's military actions.

[Binka]

3. Fuck You Condi & Olmert

Reptilian fuckwittage ass waste!

[Cha]

6. YEAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

:grr:

[Binka]

7. Thank You

What hopeless pieces of shit.

[elehhhhna]

2. bit(h is too tacky to take off the damnned sunglasses ! Photo:

[Binka]

4. Cow n/t

[FreeStateDemocrat]

9. CNN video of full meeting and the twit still had sunglasses perched on her

empty head. I was amazed by the complete lack of class, without basic respect for a country being mercilessly bombed, while observing all the diplomatic protocol of a pig in a Muslim country.

[DemoTex]

10. Maybe she was expecting a big flash .. you know, that mushroom cloud.

Or, maybe, Jesus. Be prepared, as the Boy Scouts say.

[necso]

5. The most likely thing that can be expected

of an international force is to "occupy" (whatever this means in practice) land as it's evacuated by Israel (and after it's been occupied by Israel). (Possibly this force could occupy a larger area if agreed to by the Lebanese -- and while this might be wise, as it could preempt Israeli occupation, it's probably less likely.)

However, this will probably only work if Hezbollah agrees (and the Lebanese generally agree): to a ceasefire; to the presence of this force; not to attack this force; not to reinforce the area occupied; not to attack Israel; etc. And even then, it's hard to believe that such an arrangement will work beyond the short term unless a broader settlement is reached.

[truthisfreedom]

8. someone told me that condi looked scared sh*tless yesterday... any video

footage available?

[Thor_MN]

11. "exploring options for enforcing peace after the fighting does stop "

Did they learn a small part of a lesson? *Co has Condiliar working on a plan to win the peace... Too bad they are actively promoting prolonged fighting...