Posted on 07/30/2006 10:26:08 AM PDT by Mr. Mojo
Stymied in her diplomatic mission and rocked by an Israeli bombing gone awry, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice consulted Israelis in a tense atmosphere Sunday and planned to head home Monday.
Rice had hoped to leave the region after concrete progress on ending the fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon. But her work was hampered severely by Israel's missile strike early Sunday that killed more than 50 people, including many children.
A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity about the diplomatic situation, said Rice would work from Washington to complete a U.N. Security Council resolution to end the crisis.
A draft resolution circulating Saturday among council members would call for an immediate halt to fighting and seek a wide new buffer zone in south Lebanon monitored by international forces and the Lebanese army.
Israel's attack, which killed scores of civilians while they sleep, led Rice to cancel an expected visit to Beirut for a meeting Sunday with Lebanese Prime Minister Faud Saniora. Rice said she called Saniora to postpone; angry Lebanese officials said it was their government that called off the meeting.
The chief U.S. diplomat told reporters after the attack that she planned to stay in Jerusalem, where she said she had work to do to end the fighting.
A White House spokesman, Blair Jones, said the U.S. was urging Israel "to exercise the utmost care so as to avoid any civilian casualties. This tragic incident shows why this is so critical."
The State Department's third-ranking official reaffirmed the admistration's position that Israel has the right to defend itself. "Israel was attacked two weeks ago. It was Hezbollah who started this and crossed the blue-line," Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said from Washington.
In Jerusalem, the U.S. official said Rice planned an evening meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and that she had been talking with President Bush, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other world leaders.
"We are also pushing for an urgent end to the current hostilities, but the views of the parties on how to achieve this are different," Rice said.
Olmert expressed "great sorrow" for the airstrikes but blamed Hezbollah guerrillas for using the area to launch rockets at Israel.
The U.S. official said Rice would have stopped in Beirut, but the bombing dramatically altered the situation. The official said U.S. diplomats would be in touch with Lebanese officials by phone or through the U.S. ambassador to Beirut.
Rice reiterated U.S. concerns about the loss of civilian life in the fighting. Hundreds, mostly Lebanese civilians, have died in the three weeks since Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a raid into Israel. The action provoked Israel's largest military campaign against Lebanon in 24 years.
"We all recognize this kind of warfare is extremely difficult," said Rice, noting it comes in areas where civilians live. "It unfortunately has awful consequences sometimes."
"We want a cease-fire as soon as possible," said Rice, during one of her strongest statements yet on the need to end the conflict.
The United States and Israel are pressing for a settlement that addresses enduring issues between Lebanon and Israel and disables the Hezbollah _ not the quick truce favored by most world leaders.
Sunday's attack came at a damaging and difficult moment for Rice. She had arrived Saturday in the Middle East for a second visit in a week and has hoped to leave with progress that could lead to a decisive U.N. resolution to end the hostilities.
"I am here ... in pretty political and dicey circumstances," Rice said. "I do believe that it is best to try to address these issues face-to-face and see what we can achieve."
Speaking in Beirut, Saniora said the attack on Lebanese civilians demonstrates a cease-fire is the only option. "There is no place at this sad moment for any discussions other than an immediate and unconditional cease-fire as well as international investigation of the Israeli massacres in Lebanon now," he told reporters.
Rice said she was meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz when news of the attack came. "Once again, I was reiterating our strong concern about the impact of Israeli military operations on innocent civilians," she said.
She said she is working with all parties to try to stop the violence. "Too many innocent people _ Lebanese and Israeli _ have suffered," Rice said. "Too many people have lost their lives. Too many families are homeless. And too many children have been killed, injured or are living in fear for their lives."
"Emotions are understandably running high on all sides," she said. take action toward a resolution.
The United States and other nations were trying to work with Lebanon and Israel to solve disputes over land on the Israeli-Lebanese border, prisoner exchanges and the terms of an international peacekeeping force to help stabilize Lebanon.
"We are making real progress on the political framework and believe the parties are coming together," she said.
No, it was hampered by Hezbollah using civilians as human shields and placing their rockets/launchers in civilian buildings.
"Stymied" =Give war a chance..LOL
The purpose of war is to establish a new status quo, one which is tenable. War is engineering at a national level. The Israelis have considerably more work to do before they can declare victory. Olmert has to set his sights on much more than merely a buffer zone, he can't stop until Hezbollah is finished.
Whatever Rice is telling him now, or whaterver he is telling her now, Rice's first instincts were right. There is no point to a cease-fire until Hezbollah disarms. In effect, no cease-fire until they surrender. Anything less guarantees that war continues.
I doubt if she was completely stymied, but one can only hope. :) this is also a perfect time for israel under the umbrella of their conflict with hezbollah, to really sock hamas in the teeth.
Shrader, your lead belongs in the shredder.
I thought "Stymied" = older brother of Buckwheat.
If by stymied, they mean Rice doesn't really care if Hezbollah gets decimated, then yes, she was "stymied".
If by stymied, they mean Rice was only gonna do the diplomatic dance, talk a little, then board the jet to let the fighting continue, then yes, she was "stymied".
If by stymied, they mean Rice failed in her mission to the Middle East, then they're completely, hopelessly wrong. It is the Associated Press that was stymied to halt the bloodshed so their terrorist friends could catch their breath. Lord knows there's not too many of them left...
Another outright lie by the MSM. The building had rocket launchers near it, confirmed by an Israeli video earlier today. The strike didn't go "awry" it went where it was intended to go. Don't any of these idiots think it strange there were 56 people in one house? I suppose this is normal, what POS.
YAY bring her home. No need for peace. WE ARE ALL AT WAR. Kill the hezzies once and for all.
Well said...and true...
No kidding - AP reporter.
This one I have never heard of. Just another communist creep coming out of the woodwork.
Praise God and pass the ammunition.
Bull squat!
Leave the Israeli alone....long enough to get the job done..
If the Jihadists cared anything about their women and children - they wouldn't use them as COVER...
I thought the brave Arab Warrior (forgive the oxymoron) wanted to fight the Israeli -- if so- they why won't they come out onto the field of battle and FIGHT THEM?
Because the worthless bastards KNOW the Jews will slaughter them like the pigs and cockroaches they have become.
Therefore - they choose the tactics of the coward and to play to the bias and ignorance of the media whores....
Semper Fi
Good. Come home, and STAY home. Shuttle diplomacy has been proven ineffective over the past 35+ years; it will not work now, either. What will work is the annihilation of terrorists.
Oh, how I wish John Bolton had Rice's job.
Wrong. Lebanon has two choices now; one, declare yourselves the hostages of Hizb,Allah and call on the international community to come immediately to your aid to wipe Hizb,Allah out or two, continue to be the enablers and sponsors of Hizb,Allah that you obviously are and suffer their fate with them. Time to choose, Saniora. Drop the transparent "we're just victims" BS.
Problem is, Bolyon would probably be doing the same thing....he would still have the same boss whispering in his ear.
Bah, Bush and Rice may be calling for cease-fire in public, but I bet they're calling Olmert behind the scenes and saying "Good job, bud."
At least I hope that's what is going on....
I heard rumors that everyone was warned in Qana to leave but the Hezbollah would not allow them to leave. Anyone hear the same?
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