Posted on 07/20/2006 2:49:24 PM PDT by BradtotheBone
WASHINGTON — Officials said the Bush administration, after initial hesitation, has determined that the Israeli military campaign against Hizbullah was vital in the effort to reduce the threat from Iran and Syria in the Middle East. They said the administration would not pressure Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire.
Officials said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice initially sought to halt Israel's massive retaliation against Hizbullah, which abducted two Israeli soldiers on July 12. They said Ms. Rice, in twice-a-day phone calls, pressed Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to significantly reduce the operation to prevent casualties and maintain the Lebanese government.
"Olmert politely and respectfully told Condi that the operation must continue until the rocket attacks end and the Israeli soldiers are released," another official said. "The issue eventually came to the president and Condi backed off."
On Tuesday, President George Bush displayed his greatest support yet for the Israeli war. Bush said Iran and Syria were behind Hizbullah rocket attacks as part of Teheran's campaign to undermine the West. On July 15, Bush's national security adviser said the U.S. intelligence community did not have evidence of Iranian or Syrian involvement. "It is now clear for all to see that there are terrorist elements who want to destroy our democratic friends and allies, and the world must work to prevent them from doing so," Bush said.
Officials said the administration has been pressed by Congress and conservative circles to support Israel during its war against Hizbullah. On Tuesday, the Senate passed a resolution that held Syria and Iran responsible for the "acts of aggression carried out by Hizbullah and Hamas against Israel." The House was expected to pass a similar resolution on Wednesday.
"The Senate has spoken loud and clear: Israel has the right to defend itself against aggression," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said. "While I urge the Israeli government to act carefully, there should be no doubt as to where we stand in this conflict."
Saudi Arabia has also relayed alarm to the United States over the Iranian intervention, officials said. They said Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council states were concerned that Teheran plans to order a Shi'ite revolt in the region. On Tuesday, Bush spoke by telephone with Saudi King Abdullah in a discussion that focused on the Israeli-Hizbullah war.
As a result, Ms. Rice has postponed her visit to the Middle East to help arrange a ceasefire. Officials said the secretary, who had been expected to arrive in Israel on Wednesday, would delay her visit until around July 25.
"A ceasefire that would leave intact a [Hizbullah] terrorist infrastructure is unacceptable," White House spokesman Tony Snow said.
On Tuesday, Ms. Rice disagreed with a call by visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu Al Gheit during the start of the Egyptian-U.S. strategic dialogue. Ms. Rice dismissed Al Gheit's call for an immediate ceasefire, saying Hizbullah must first release prisoners and withdraw from the Israeli border.
"We have to make certain that anything that we do is going to be of lasting value," Ms. Rice said. "The Middle East has been through too many spasms of violence and we have to deal with underlying conditions so that we can create sustainable conditions for political progress there."
Officials said the administration has been coordinating with Israel to help evacuate the 25,000-member American community in Lebanon. They said Central Command has sent nine ships to Lebanon to evacuate at least 5,000 Americans.
"We have a changing situation [in Lebanon]," U.S. Naval Forces Central Command chief Vice Adm. Patrick Walsh told a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday. "We have a very complex environment that we're about to put a substantial number more of American citizens into, and the security and safety of those people are paramount to us, and that's our No. 1 mission."
The press corpse knows that he knows how to play the game. He can hit most of what they throw at him.
>>Tony has the "pair" that McClellan was missing.<<
Yes.
More than that too - I see less clips of Snow than I did of McClellan - Snow makes the White House position or action the story and avoids making his delivery or temper or frustration the story.
There's also a better selection of events with Presidential access.
Kind of ironic, considering I was giving odds he'd never be press secretary in the first place and nobody took me up on it.
Now it depends on the ability of the IDF to get the job done. What is needed is a demilitarized zone south of the Litani. Forget the Lebanonese army.
>>The press corpse knows that he knows how to play the game. He can hit most of what they throw at him.<<
Tha's a good way to put it - if they know you don't swing at sliders in the dirt there's no point in throwing them.
"Snow has made a difference."
He's been making a good example of Helen, even cutting her off the other day for "hectoring" him.
McClellan was out of his league. That was obvious the day he walked in.
Israel/Middle East/Global Jihad PING !
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel.
also Keywords 2006israelwar or WOT [War on Terror]
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It seems once someone goes into that black hole at Foggy Bottom they become captive to the thinking of all the appeasers down there... glad the President took over and backed Israel.
"When she first came in she was SO SMART, I was in awe, and then, I don't know if it's the job, or just the subject of Israel"
Condi did her graduate work under _Madeline Albright's father_, and was said to be a frequent dinner guest at the Albright household.
She's having to shed some of the Albright anti-Semitism. It's reflexive in mainstream international studies.
Is it possible that Condi knows its her job to play "good cop" to the President's "bad cop"? Obviously the analogy doesn't exactly translate, but she just seems to smart for something like this.
Which is why she is off my POTUS potentials list...
Is Foggy Bottom another name for the State Dept.?
Specifically thanking her for giving the Hezbollah talking points. That was historic.
Something happens to people when they go to state. It is such an efing elitist joint, with a slight contempt for such creatures as tourists. If you get in a pinch in a foreign country, don't expect help (there are exceptions). A friend of mine who was a tour guide with a group in India. Had a problem, not his fault. Went to the consulate and was more or less brushed aside. He had a DoD ID card so he went to the military atache office, flashed the card, said all his group were Dod/dependents. The sergeant at the desk picked up the phone and talekd to his commander. Within an hour had got action. Military aircraft took his group out.
Also a metro stop. ;-).
It's the good cop/bad cop routine. At NSA she was part of the bad cop, along with DEFSEC, Cheney and Bolton. At State, she has to be the good cop, the communicator, blah, blah. In either situation, she does what the prez tells her to do.
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