Comments on: 1. The New Diplomatic Offensive http://www.futureofthebook.org/iraqreport/1-the-new-diplomatic-offensive/ Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:45:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Kevin Baker http://www.futureofthebook.org/iraqreport/1-the-new-diplomatic-offensive/#comment-244 Kevin Baker Tue, 09 Jan 2007 00:31:21 +0000 http://futureofthebook.org/iraqreport/1-the-new-diplomatic-offensive/#comment-244 No paragraph in the report more enraged right-wing commentators, who summarily rejected the idea that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has anything to do with the war in Iraq. Their reaction was indicative of how far the administration is from facing even the most elemental realities in the Middle East. A polite silence was maintained when our one remaining ally, Tony Blair, showed up in Washington soon after the report was issued and said much the same thing about the need to link all these issues. No paragraph in the report more enraged right-wing commentators, who summarily rejected the idea that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has anything to do with the war in Iraq. Their reaction was indicative of how far the administration is from facing even the most elemental realities in the Middle East. A polite silence was maintained when our one remaining ally, Tony Blair, showed up in Washington soon after the report was issued and said much the same thing about the need to link all these issues.

]]> By: James Warner http://www.futureofthebook.org/iraqreport/1-the-new-diplomatic-offensive/#comment-229 James Warner Mon, 08 Jan 2007 20:26:14 +0000 http://futureofthebook.org/iraqreport/1-the-new-diplomatic-offensive/#comment-229 Does the security environment in Baghdad allow for such a meeting? Considering Bush had to meet al-Maliki in Jordan, would it be possible or economically to guarantee the safety of the delegates to these proposed conferences? Does the security environment in Baghdad allow for such a meeting? Considering Bush had to meet al-Maliki in Jordan, would it be possible or economically to guarantee the safety of the delegates to these proposed conferences?

]]> By: James Warner http://www.futureofthebook.org/iraqreport/1-the-new-diplomatic-offensive/#comment-217 James Warner Sun, 07 Jan 2007 18:52:57 +0000 http://futureofthebook.org/iraqreport/1-the-new-diplomatic-offensive/#comment-217 Missing from this overview--and from the report overall--is an assessment of America's diplomatic position in the region and around the world. In general, concerning Iraq, we are negotiating from a position of weakness. Iraq is an open wound in our foreign policy, and we are seeking concessions and help. We are not, generally speaking, in a position to demand or coerce those concessions or help. We will have to win them through concessions of our own. Secondly, "The New Diplomatic Offensive," is a terrible title for this effort. Besides being an easy target for derision (one could quip that our diplomacy concerning Iraq has been offensive enough), it is the wrong image, and I wonder how it will translate into Arabic. Better titles would be a New Diplomatic Initiative, or a New Diplomatic Effort, which would convey the reality of our situation: we must renew and improve our diplomacy to achieve an acceptable result in Iraq, and that means bargaining with other countries, some of them unsavory. This is not an offensive. We are not on the attack. We are seeking and inviting cooperation from a position of diminshed strength and prestige. Missing from this overview–and from the report overall–is an assessment of America’s diplomatic position in the region and around the world. In general, concerning Iraq, we are negotiating from a position of weakness. Iraq is an open wound in our foreign policy, and we are seeking concessions and help. We are not, generally speaking, in a position to demand or coerce those concessions or help. We will have to win them through concessions of our own.

Secondly, “The New Diplomatic Offensive,” is a terrible title for this effort. Besides being an easy target for derision (one could quip that our diplomacy concerning Iraq has been offensive enough), it is the wrong image, and I wonder how it will translate into Arabic. Better titles would be a New Diplomatic Initiative, or a New Diplomatic Effort, which would convey the reality of our situation: we must renew and improve our diplomacy to achieve an acceptable result in Iraq, and that means bargaining with other countries, some of them unsavory. This is not an offensive. We are not on the attack. We are seeking and inviting cooperation from a position of diminshed strength and prestige.

]]> By: Helena Cobban http://www.futureofthebook.org/iraqreport/1-the-new-diplomatic-offensive/#comment-175 Helena Cobban Tue, 19 Dec 2006 17:11:03 +0000 http://futureofthebook.org/iraqreport/1-the-new-diplomatic-offensive/#comment-175 A great recommendation, with an important deadline specified in it that underlines the extreme urgency the ISG members saw in the situation. The President, however, seems not to share this sense of urgency... A great recommendation, with an important deadline specified in it that underlines the extreme urgency the ISG members saw in the situation.

The President, however, seems not to share this sense of urgency…

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