Arabs Pressure Rice On U.S. Peace Efforts

The Bush administration's effort to foster a bloc of moderate Arab states to stand against growing militancy in the Middle East has come up against a brick wall, with several close U.S. allies bluntly telling Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday that they do not want to be pitted against other Arab governments and movements, according to senior Arab officials. The solution, the allies told Rice, lies with stronger U.S. leadership in solving the Arab-Israeli conflict.

During talks Tuesday in both Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Rice was confronted by friendly but firm pressure from eight Arab governments -- Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain -- to follow up on promises by President Bush to help achieve a two-state solution in the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians. They also questioned whether the administration still has the energy or full commitment to pull off a solution to the Palestinian issue before Bush leaves office, officials said.

Arab officials also expressed frustration that the United States seems far more focused on the issue of Iran's nuclear program. Although Arab states share concern about Iran's nuclear potential, Rice and her Arab interlocutors sometimes seemed to be talking at cross-purposes, according to Arab officials involved in the talks in Cairo. One senior Arab official described the talks as warm but unproductive.

The new Arab pressure came on the same day as a global appeal by 135 former presidents, prime ministers and Nobel Peace Prize winners from the United States, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia for a concerted international effort to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict. The U.S. signatories to the document, released by the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, included former president Jimmy Carter, ex-defense secretary Frank Carlucci, 9/11 Commission vice chairman Lee Hamilton and retired Gen. Wesley Clark.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/03/AR2006100301632.html

continuing ly, w/out MSM coverage, what we've done to Gaza after their fair and free election?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/03/AR2006100301632.html

Rice warned Tuesday that after weeks of diplomatic delays and Iranian stalling, time has run out for talks. The issue, she added, is no longer just Iran, but the United Nations' ability to deal effectively with global crises. "I hope that there is still room to resolve this, but the international community is running out of time because soon its own credibility . . . will be a matter of question," Rice said.

Incredible. Just incredible.

of the UN!

WHAT Peace Efforts ? ...

This is the most peaceLESS American regime ... ever ....

The LACK of efforts for peace is a hallmark of this WH ....

Peace as an idea is completely absent from their minds ....

http://www.bahraintribune.com/ArticleDetail.asp?CategoryId=2&ArticleId=124204

can't imagine why.

...for allowing WW III

i bet lebanon won't.

how could she? we had so many other wars going on. bad form, condi, bad form. :evilgrin:

the truth now, or in any event?

Oct. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S. today said America's standing in every Arab and Muslim country is ``at its lowest ever,'' and the U.S. can change that only by pressing Israel to do more to make peace with the Palestinians.

The Palestinian-Israeli dispute is the core problem in the Middle East that, if solved, would resolve other issues in the region, including terrorism, targeted killings, land-grabbing and the uprooting of citizens, Prince Turki al-Faisal said.

``Because of that special relationship that America'' has with Israel, U.S. officials can press Israel ``to come forward and be more contributive to the peace efforts,'' Faisal said, responding to questions after a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

European and Arab governments have urged the Bush administration to revive the region's peace process now that Israel's battle with Hezbollah in Lebanon has subsided. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is on a Middle East tour now designed to show the U.S. remains committed to the process even as there's little prospect of restarting talks anytime soon.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=auy.22n2Oz_c&refer=worldwide

against dimson Bush was Prince Bandar? Go figure.

Oh, dear. And they seemed so close.

She is as useless as Brownie was at FEMA

...clean up our image among the Arabs considering what Bush has done/is doing?

It is obvious that her job was to get as many Islamic people and countries pissed at us as possible.

She's just like Bolton. Appointed not too increase, but to decrease world opinion of us. They were both appointed to emphasize what bullying assholes Americans are.

Mission Accomplished!

:sarcasm: Sadly, NOT.

I heard she was stuck in Cairo, when she couldnt get her broomstick started.



Karen Hughes is such an evil B

This is being done to keep their bushite cronies in power. If they went along with Kuwait, Nigeria, and Venezeula, the repukes would be out on their asses in November.

:sarcasm:

this man must be impeached and/or imprisoned.

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