Condi's coup: how the neo-cons lost the argument over Iran

[cal04]

Secretary of State's influence pivotal to Bush's change of policy
By Leonard Doyle in Washington

Condoleezza Rice was the prime mover behind Mr Bush's policy of 'preventive wars' and cheerleader for his expansive plans to reorganise the entire Middle East

Condoleezza Rice was George Bush's handmaiden for the war in Iraq but she is now emerging as the best hope for avoiding a military conflict between the United States and Iran.

The Secretary of State, who is one of the few people with the President's ear, has shown the door to Vice-President Dick Cheney's cabal of war-hungry advisers. Ms Rice was able to declare yesterday that the administration's decision to break with past policy proves that there is international unity in opposing Iran's nuclear programme. "The point that we're making is the United States is firmly behind this diplomacy, firmly behind and unified with our allies and hopefully the Iranians will take that message," Ms Rice said.

(snip)
The breakthrough, if that is what it turns out to be, that persuaded Mr Bush that it was time to end the 30-year boycott of high-level diplomatic contacts with Iran, came from the simple act of Ms Rice signing her name to a joint letter offering sweeter terms to Tehran than it had seen before.

The very act of putting her name to a package of incentives presented in Tehran last month persuaded the Iranian authorities that there was movement that would allow them to proclaim victory over the US, while ending their nuclear programme.

[monmouth]

1. Oh this should please Bolton to no end!.....LOL..n/t

[grantcart]

2. I predict that when the insiders story is told it will be Gates who turned out to be the key

in changing the policy. I think the reality of a military strike on Iran when they could have then come over the border and killed thousands of Americans was a sobering reality for him and he made sure that wasn't going to happen.

[tabatha]

4. I agree.

I think Gates was sent in by Daddy to keep Junior under control. He has done a reasonable job for a right-winger (so far, I think).

[whistle]

3. Condi pulled this off, no wonder John Bolton is so pissed about it