Condi directs US officials to change the subject when international orgs ask about monies owed

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/12/AR2007061201723.html

<snip>

The United States has long been criticized for being behind in its promised contributions to various international organizations -- including NATO, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organization, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and so on.

...

What to do? Well, for one thing, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice suggests, let's not talk about it. Rice apparently had cabled various U.S. missions about the financial problem and the information had gotten out, causing some heartburn. The concern, one State official said: "Why tip your hand when you're negotiating" over payments?

So she followed up with a cable to U.S. officials at the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris and the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal, among other places, reminding them that the first cable on "the funding shortfall is intended for Mission personnel only and should remain close hold." Meaning, don't tell anyone.

Further, the officials are "requested not to use any of the information in this cable with the international organizations or the public. Mission is further instructed to not mention that the U.S. will go into arrears when discussing U.S. assessments owed to international organizations." Change the subject, talk about the new Nationals stadium or something.

But what if the organizations simply demand to know when the money's coming? Okay, Rice's cable said, if you're "pressed about when the organization can expect payment, the suggested response is" to say that President Bush asked for the money but that it's up to Congress to deal with it.

[hobbit709]

1. Translation:

We've spend the money on george's little war and we ain't got none for you.

[sabra]

3. also don't blame Bush, blame congress

[jwirr]

2. Are dead-beat governments anything like dead-beat daddies?

[liberal N proud]

4. That is what all good republicons do when you call them out

When present them with facts, they quickly change the subject.

[ComerPerro]

5. So why didn't Bush have the Republican controlled Congress come up with it

they had four fucking years