Rice to visit Europe -- and maybe beyond

[cal04]

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will start a trip to Europe on Monday but her apparently light schedule raises the possibility she could add a surprise stop in the Middle East such as Iraq. Rice has announced she will visit Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria on a Monday-to-Friday trip although she has given few details about her itinerary.

A five-day trip to three countries which are near each other would be gentle traveling for the hard-charging globe-trotter who has visited up to four nations in a day. Determined to use the element of surprise to counter possible attacks against her in the Middle East, Rice has kept some plans secret, including stops in Baghdad and Beirut in the last three months. With Rice's aides willing to mislead about potential stops to dangerous countries, her trips have become surrounded with speculation.

A return trip to Iraq, where she arrived unannounced early this month for a two-day visit, would allow her to welcome the prime minister-designate after his selection on Friday and prod divided Iraqi leaders to form a unified
Cabinet. Political analysts say Rice could also consider a visit to Libya to reward leader Muammar Gaddafifor scrapping weapons of mass destruction programs, although most believe it is too early in the nations' rapprochement for such a gesture.

On this week's trip, Rice will attend a NATO meeting in Bulgaria, where she will seek to hammer out a diplomatic strategy with ministers from across Europe to curb Iran's nuclear programs. In Greece and Turkey, she needs to balance U.S. interests with the rivals while she supports Ankara's ambition to join the European Union and prods the neighbors to promote a peace settlement on the divided island of Cyprus. Maybe Cyprus itself is a secret destination -- or perhaps, this time, the surprise will be that there are no surprises.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060423/us_nm/europe_rice_dc_2

[Warpy]

1. Let's hope somebody gets wind of her itinerary

and she ends up at the Hague.

[saigon68]

15. Rice to visit dentist

In 2017

when the rest of her teeth fall out.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. How about a one-way secret mission to bring democracy to the moon?

All aboard!, Condi.

[bluedog]

3. stay home and save FUEL n/t

[RedG1]

4. CondImelda will go shoe shopping...

and maybe a side trip to Rome and compare $600 Prada loafers with the 'ever-so-fashion-conscious' Pope

<eg>

[symbolman]

5. Gee, that sounds just like what a REAL President would do

SHe's being PRIMED, KNOW IT..

How could the Democrats argue about a BLACK WOMAN VEEP or Prez? They'd be called RACISTS, losing battle, and with DIEBOLD all locked up they'll just install her and look like they are so Progressive, moreso than Dems..

Groomed, her Claymation Hair is being groomed along with the rest of her to replace Cheney.. we'll be hearing all about her 80% approval rating soon, how godlike she is, never lies, is good to her people, likes the BEATLES, gosh..

If they install that lying ugly biotch I just may leave this country for good.. she may actually be WORSE than BUSH, if you can believe that..

My Spidey sense smells DANGER, Yahoo is talking her up, and I don't EVEN trust Yahoo anymore, they turned a corner a few years ago and might as well be FOX now.

[lebkuchen]

6. She was in Iraq less than a month ago

Why the big interest there now? Because it's such a huge mess?

[CJCRANE]

7. They're trotting them out

in the usual sequence...

- Catch a #3 al-Qaeda leader
- * speech about Iraq/Terrorism
- Bin Laden tape
- Surprise visit to Baghdad

Next on the list would be indicting Saddam again (then adjourning the court until next time a distraction's needed)...lather, rinse and repeat.

[lebkuchen]

16. Add to that freeing Iraq again.

Why do I sense we're trapped in a never-ending circle jerk?

[WhiteTara]

8. I wonder if the trip will involve Jack Straw?

I saw pictures of them together and it looked like sex to me.:shrug:

[tabasco]

9. Go walk through the streets of Baghdad, Condi.

Show us all the progress.

Yes, OUTSIDE THE GREEN ZONE, CONDI !

Surely, with things going so well, you can walk the streets of the capital city, right?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

10. Might I suggest Kindasleazy visiting Mars? One-way trip, of course!

[susu369]

11. Condi "the hard-charging globe-trotter"

wow, that makes it sound like she is so, uh, competent.

:puffpiece:

[JanusAscending]

12. Condasleeza

"To the moon, condi, to the moon!!!!

[tanyev]

13. To Infinity...and Beyond!

I'm picturing Buzz Lightyear with Condi's face photoshopped on.

[Roland99]

14. Freakin' POS #$%^@

Nothing can save that @#$%^ from her volcano of lies.

[Supersedeas]

17. An approach to Foreign Affairs equivalent to celebrity watching -- WHAT

will the good Dr. Condi be wearing on these secret trips, I wonder!?!