RIce's Visit Will Be Pivotal

[LeftHander]

If Rice does not push for cease fire and backs Israel in a ground invasion of Beirut then I fear that all out, unstoppable war in the middle east with Syria and Iran retaliating will begin. Turkey invading northern Iraq with the U.S. and Israel escalating a air campaign against Syria and Iran.

The U.S. can still force Israel to enter into a cease-fire and stop/slow the escalation of violence. If this does not happen with Rice's pending visit. Then one of two things exist:

1. Complete lack of Bush administration credibility in the world stage.
2. U.S. wants war with Iran and Syria with Israel being the catalyst. The Neocons will get U.S. domination of the Middle East.

So here we are at the brink of WWIII.

Chilling.

We have two paths. One to peace, the other to war...it is that simple.

The U.S. must prevent Israel from invading Lebanon to stop all out war.

[havocmom]

1. If there is a big shoe sale, the world is doomed

[LeftHander]

2. WTF....does that mean? nt

[ixion]

3. that Rice prefers shopping for shoes, rather than doing her job

and it's true, too.

When N.O. was underwater, Condi was on a shoe shopping spree.

[Benbow]

4. Rice is about as much use as a water biscuit n/t

[lebkuchen]

10. When Rice first came on board

she told the media that the Bush administration wouldn't be getting involved in Iraeli/Arab conflicts, that those in the Middle East would have to seek resolutions for themselves, and want peace, the US couldn't force them to have peace.

So now she's changed her tune now that Newt is calling this mess WWIII, the result of 5 plus years of Bush's "hands-off" policy?

[Demit]

5. Conventional wisdom has it that decisions will be made & all ready and

waiting for her when she swoops in, in time to look like she had something to do with it. Then she'll swoop back out in triumph. In that sense, I guess, her pivot foot will be integral to the process, and a more beautifully shod foot the world of diplomacy never did see.

[LeftHander]

7. Wow...shoe lots of fetish here on DU today...nt

lol

[Demit]

16. Or lots of justified contempt for Condoleezza Rice. n/t

[uppityperson]

27. Bitterness extends back to her behavior during Katrina

she went shopping for shoes rather than being busy at the office doing whatever she could.

[DoYouEverWonder]

32. Yes, this is all about building up their next 'star'

Condi will save the day.

[lebkuchen]

6. Have I "lost the plot?"

I have always thought that Bush WANTED an excuse to invade Iran and Syria. What I sense he's hoping for now is for an attack against the US, whether against ships at sea, overseas bases, the Green Zone, or embassies, opening the door to an increase in enlistments/reenlistments (if not the draft after the Nov. elections).

Bush said he wanted to be the war president, and he has succeeded. Why would he pull back now?

[LeftHander]

12. Exactly...

With Israel goading Iran and Syria to attack.

An attack on Israel by Iran or Syria will be all that Bush needs....nothing would do that better than a Israeli invasion of Lebanon. So Rice's message delivery will tell in the actions Israel takes immediately after or during her visit. The U.S. will either support escalation of all out war or demand a cease fire.

But...I think you are right. We are on a path to total war and chaos in the middle east.

[lebkuchen]

17. No doubt, it will be war. That's what Bush and the GOP want.

Amazingly, the dems are saying that what Israel is doing to Lebanon is okay, for now.

What party in the US is providing the option of non-aggression? I wish to join it.

[Hissyspit]

8. If Rice wanted her role to be pivotal, she would be over there already.

They want the war. The * Administration does NOT CARE about human lives. Period.

[robcon]

9. Huh? Who gave all this power to Rice, or the U.S.?

"If Rice does not push for cease fire and backs Israel in a ground invasion of Beirut then I fear that all out, unstoppable war in the middle east with Syria and Iran retaliating will begin."

That is way over the top, and implies that what the U.S. "pushes" for is the key to the Middle East. Fatuous nonsense, IMO.

[lebkuchen]

15. Israel and the US have been provoking Syria and Iran for years

Neither Syria nor Iran "bit." Maybe they will now? It's what the Bushys want.

For Syria and Iran, like Lebanon and Iraq, it's a lose lose proposition.

[LeftHander]

18. Don't underestimate the power of US persuasion...

Any government can be crucified by the US propaganda machine.

And the U.S. powers that be can frankly shut down a middle east economy in a heart beat. These are not necesarily US government powers...If the U.S. did not want Israel dropping US made bombs with our US made planes on Lebanon it wouldn't of happened.

[gatorboy]

11. Rice thinks that Iraq is still going well.

What does that tell ya? She has the same motto has the rest of those clowns:

"Who are you gonna believe? Me or your lying eyes?"

[rock]

13. Pivotal

Nailing one foot to the floor, running around in a circle. And whooping.

[Sapphire Blue]

20. What a fitting image!

[Ilsa]

14. CNN said they will have a heads-up that she is due to arrive when

the major hotels start moving their best elliptical exercise machine into the best suites for her.

[Demit]

19. Must order one's priorities in this administration, mustn't one.

She's gotta stay toned for her husb--.

[Ilsa]

24. Bwaaahahaha! Good one! eom

[Skidmore]

21. Might have been pivotal about six years ago, if this bunch of

buffoons hadn't thought the acts of governing and policymaking weren't just all image and PR.

[lonestarnot]

22. Is beaver going to pivot on her teef?

[GreenArrow]

23. Rice: "No one could have anticpated ..."

"the current turmoil in the M.E. but it must and will stop. We must kill them. We must incinerate them. Pig after pig. Cow after cow. Village after village. Army after army."

[MadHound]

25. Rice's visit will be a farce

Bushco's stated goal is to invade and occupy Syria and Iran, and this current conflict is going to give them the perfect excuse if it continues its course. Therefore Rice and her handlers have no interest in quelling this war or stopping the madness. Rather they will mouth polite homilies, back Israel to the hilt, achieve nothing, and sit back and wait for WWIII to begin.

Frankly I think our two last, best hopes lie with Kofi Annan and Russia. But sadly, I think that those will fail also. Israel has a long history of only truly listening to the US, and if Bushco is giving the green light, away they will go.

[goforit]

26. This is absolutely intentional and IS the plan.

[JuniperLea]

30. Yes, transparent

Warmongers want war.

Bushie and the Brain still want to take over the world.

[uppityperson]

28. agreed, and very chilling.

[JuniperLea]

29. Not pivotal in the least

Their minds are already made up. If there was any "deciding" to do, she would have already been there.

There is only one path recognized by the Bush Regime... war.

[Vidar]

31. Which is why she isn't visiting any Arab capitals.