Reuters: Negroponte sees Iraq success without Iran, Syria

[Eugene]

Negroponte sees Iraq success without Iran, Syria

By David Morgan
Reuters
Tuesday, January 30, 2007; 11:40 AM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A democratic Iraq can still emerge from sectarian violence,
but the United States does not plan to open talks with Syria and Iran on stabilizing
the country, President George W. Bush's pick for deputy secretary of state said on
Tuesday.

John Negroponte, who was the Bush administration's first ambassador to post-war Iraq,
told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he would head diplomatic efforts to stem
a surge of violence between Iraq's Sunnis and Shi'ites, if confirmed by the full Senate.

"I volunteered to go to Baghdad because I believed and still believe that it is possible
for Iraq to make a successful transition to democracy," Negroponte, who is currently
the U.S. intelligence chief, told the panel.

-snip-

But Negroponte reiterated the Bush administration's stance that Iran must first suspend
its nuclear program, which the West views as an effort to acquire nuclear weapons. Syria
must take steps to prevent an estimated 40 to 70 foreign fighters from entering Iraq each
month to carry out attacks, he added.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/30/AR2007013000683.html

[killbotfactory]

1. So he's an idiot

Good to know