Bush Scuttled Iran Outpost To Deny Obama An 'I Told You So'

[babylonsister]

Politics scuttles plan to put US diplomats in Iran

AP Exclusive: Plan for US diplomatic outpost in Iran dropped; political concerns among reasons

MATTHEW LEE
AP News

Oct 04, 2008 09:38 EST


The Bush administration has shelved plans to set up a diplomatic outpost in Iran, in part over fears it could affect the U.S. presidential race or be interpreted as political meddling, The Associated Press has learned.

The proposal to send U.S. diplomats to Tehran for the first time in three decades attracted great attention when it was floated over the summer, but has now been placed on indefinite hold as November's election nears and Iran continues to defy demands to halt suspect nuclear activities, officials told the AP.

Two administration officials familiar with the matter spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations on the sensitive subject.

The officials said a decision had been made to leave the decision to the next U.S. president because it could be seen as a reward for Iran's nuclear intransigence, especially when Iran policy has become a key part of the heated campaign between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.

Obama has called for unconditional direct talks with the leaders of adversaries such as Iran and North Korea, assuming that groundwork by lower-level officials indicated that the top-level talks would be fruitful.

McCain has ridiculed the suggestion as naive.

Thus, opening an interest section, or de facto embassy, in Tehran could be interpreted as a Republican president helping a Republican nominee by neutralizing a distinction that might make the Democrat appealing. Or, it could be seen as hurting McCain by leaving him to defend a more hard-line position than the current Republican president's.

more...

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/10/politics_scuttles_plan_to_put.php

[sharp_stick]

1. Of course what they left unsaid

is that if this in any way could have been seen as a positive for the Palin/McCain ticket it would have been done with all kinds of fanfare.

This mis-administrations death-throes are enjoyable I just wish they'd hurry up about it. Next January should be nice.