Iraq And U.S. Invite Syria, Iran To Meet

Invitation To "Neighbors Meeting" Reflects Change Of Attitude By Bush Administration

(CBS/AP)  The United States and the Iraqi government are launching a new diplomatic initiative to invite Iran and Syria to a "neighbors meeting" on stabilizing Iraq, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday.

"We hope that all governments seize this opportunity to improve their relations with Iraq and to work for peace and stability in the region," Rice said in remarks prepared for delivery to a Senate committee. Excerpts were released in advance by the State Department.

After first rejecting much of the Baker-Hamilton Report, the White House is now embracing a key component of it — engaging directly with Syria and Iran, reports CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod.

The move reflects a change of approach by the Bush administration, which previously had resisted calls by members of Congress and by a bipartisan Iraq review group to include Iran and Syria in diplomatic talks on stabilizing Iraq.

"I am pleased to announce that we are also supporting the Iraqis in a new diplomatic offensive: to build greater support, both within the region and beyond, for peace and prosperity in Iraq," Rice said, adding that U.S. and Iraqi officials agree that success in Iraq "requires the positive support of Iraq's neighbors."

At the White House, press secretary Tony Snow told reporters the administration is "happy that the government of Iraq is taking this step and engaging its neighbors. And we also hope and expect that Iran and Syria will play constructive roles in those talks."

But Snow cautioned people to be patient, noting that "this is one where the agenda is being set up by the government of Iraq. And the conditions, especially for bilateral conversations with the Iranians, are pretty clear."

The administration in recent weeks had increased its public criticism of Iran's role in Iraq, charging it with supplying deadly weapons, including advanced technologies for the most lethal form of roadside bombs. The administration also has accused Syria of harboring anti-Iraqi government forces and allowing weapons to cross its border.

Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates testified Tuesday before the Senate Appropriations Committee on the administration's budget request for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Iraqi government announced in Baghdad that it is preparing the meeting for mid-March, and that invitees include members of the Arab League and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.

The conference will focus on reconstruction issues and economic development as well as security, adds Axelrod.

Syria will be represented at the conference by Ahmed Arnous, an aide to the foreign minister, an Iraqi Foreign Ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the plans had not yet been formally announced. Other Arab countries and Iran have not confirmed their attendance or the level of delegates they would send.

Rice said the mid-March meeting will be held at the sub-ministerial level. That is to be followed, perhaps as early as the first half of April, by a full ministerial-level meeting with the same invited countries, plus members of the G-8 group of leading industrial powers.

"I would note that the Iraqi government has invited Syria and Iran to attend both of these regional meetings," Rice said. She also noted that the Iraq Study Group, headed by former Secretary of State James Baker and former Rep. Lee Hamilton, had recommended inviting Iran and Syria to such a neighbors meeting. At the time of that recommendation in December, President Bush rejected that diplomatic approach.

[sjaffar]

US ... Iran meeting 3/10/2007. A ray of hope for peace! As I wrote in my book -a worldwide endorsement for peace, unity, and a meaningful life-, true heroes are those who win peace not wars. As the leader of the most powerful nation today and to be remembered as a Moses and certainly NOT the Pharaohs, I humbly request President George W. Bush of the United States of America to put all his efforts with determination and deep conviction toward achieving peace on earth. Then, by utilizing a fraction of the enormous military savings, lay a solid foundation for eradicating illiteracy and poverty, the root causes of most problems in the world today. Sincerely, Author, Syed H. Jaffar

[sjaffar]

US ... Iran meeting 3/10/2007. A ray of hope for peace! As I wrote in my book -a worldwide endorsement for peace, unity, and a meaningful life-, true heroes are those who win peace not wars. As the leader of the most powerful nation today and to be remembered as a Moses and certainly NOT the Pharaohs, I humbly request President George W. Bush of the United States of America to put all his efforts with determination and deep conviction toward achieving peace on earth. Then, by utilizing a fraction of the enormous military savings, lay a solid foundation for eradicating illiteracy and poverty, the root causes of most problems in the world today. Sincerely, Author, Syed H. Jaffar

[karlimhof]

HALLELUJAH

ANOTHER NEOCON PILLAR OF POLICY FALLS !!!!!

[tbweb]

Better late than never...

[samthetvcat]

testing 123

[rharrin1]

sleeping again

[rochest]

so Bush is changing his tune now that he no longer has a majority lockstepping Congress... Thank goodness for the midterm elections that put the Democrats in the majority and forced debate on national issues

[rochest]

so Bush is changing his tune now that he no longer has a majority lockstepping Congress... Thank goodness for the midterm elections that put the Democrats in the majority and forced debate on national issues

[lars008-2009]

Appeal for Redress
Sign this Appeal.
This site is an Appeal For Redress in support of our mission in Iraq.
An Appeal For Redress is an authorized means for active duty military to submit a grievance to Congress. It can be signed by Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard military personnel.
It is authorized by DoD Directive 1325.6 and DoD Directive 7050.6.

The wording of the Appeal for Redress is:
As an American currently serving my nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to fully support our mission in Iraq and halt any calls for retreat. I also respectfully urge my political leaders to actively oppose media efforts which embolden my enemy while demoralizing American support at home. The War in Iraq is a necessary and just effort to bring freedom to the Middle East and protect America from further attack.
If you are active duty, reservist or national guard, please Sign this Appeal.
Most service members fully support the war in Iraq and feel calls to retreat by Congress and attacks by our media on our conduct and mission act to motivate our enemy while demoralizing our support at home, directly increasing the threat we face and resulting in greater American casualties. This Appeal for Redress provides a way in which individual service members can appeal to Congress to fully support us and actively oppose media attacks on our mission and our morale.
This Appeal will be delivered to members of Congress.
http://www.appealforcourage.org/

[bluestardad]

It may be time to consider changing Democratic Leadership in Congress! It seems that those leaders the American People have entrusted to get America out of Iraq are not capable of doing so. With Three American Soldiers being killed a day and a Billion Tax Dollars a week being lost in the Middle East America cannot afford Leadership that is indecisive or inept! The American Electorate has spoken and demands our elected officials be responsive to our mandate! Changes must be made and quickly to Pull all American Troops out of Iraq! The entire Middle East has grown accustom to America coming to their rescue for their problems and has never exercised their own ability to resolve their own difficulties. In some cases as with Iran in the 1950s America has added to the problems and destabilization of the country. It is time the Entire Middle East, all parties, sits down together and solves their own problems without America standing over their shoulder or acting as a destabilizing force for corporate reasons. When the Middle East has ownership of the solution and its results it will cause them to work harder to make the plans successful. The Middle East must wean itself from American dependency!

Write your Representatives and Senators! http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

[dogband]

About #$^%$%&%$* time. A better solution would be to kick Bush/Cheney/Condi out of office, and go to this summit with other leaders, and basically say, we made a huge mistake, and started a war that should have never been started, now help us get this area under control.

What a absolute crime and disaster. American people should be demonstrating in the streets to demand that Bush be impeached.

[dogband]

About #$^%$%&%$* time. A better solution would be to kick Bush/Cheney/Condi out of office, and go to this summit with other leaders, and basically say, we made a huge mistake, and started a war that should have never been started, now help us get this area under control.

What a absolute crime and disaster. American people should be demonstrating in the streets to demand that Bush be impeached.

[dogband]

About #$^%$%&%$* time. A better solution would be to kick Bush/Cheney/Condi out of office, and go to this summit with other leaders, and basically say, we made a huge mistake, and started a war that should have never been started, now help us get this area under control.

What a absolute crime and disaster. American people should be demonstrating in the streets to demand that Bush be impeached.

[rharrin1]

bush looks like he is bored or asleep or pissed off maybe he feels like he is backed into a corner and is expected to try to actually talk for a change instead of telling.

[dogband]

About #$^%$%&%$* time. A better solution would be to kick Bush/Cheney/Condi out of office, and go to this summit with other leaders, and basically say, we made a huge mistake, and started a war that should have never been started, now help us get this area under control.

What a absolute crime and disaster. American people should be demonstrating in the streets to demand that Bush be impeached.

[dogband]

About #$^%$%&%$* time. A better solution would be to kick Bush/Cheney/Condi out of office, and go to this summit with other leaders, and basically say, we made a huge mistake, and started a war that should have never been started, now help us get this area under control.

What a absolute crime and disaster. American people should be demonstrating in the streets to demand that Bush be impeached.

[dogband]

About #$^%$%&%$* time. A better solution would be to kick Bush/Cheney/Condi out of office, and go to this summit with other leaders, and basically say, we made a huge mistake, and started a war that should have never been started, now help us get this area under control.

What a absolute crime and disaster. American people should be demonstrating in the streets to demand that Bush be impeached.

[dogband]

About #$^%$%&%$* time. A better solution would be to kick Bush/Cheney/Condi out of office, and go to this summit with other leaders, and basically say, we made a huge mistake, and started a war that should have never been started, now help us get this area under control.

What a absolute crime and disaster. American people should be demonstrating in the streets to demand that Bush be impeached.

[dogband]

About #$^%$%&%$* time. A better solution would be to kick Bush/Cheney/Condi out of office, and go to this summit with other leaders, and basically say, we made a huge mistake, and started a war that should have never been started, now help us get this area under control.

What a absolute crime and disaster. American people should be demonstrating in the streets to demand that Bush be impeached.

[dogband]

About #$^%$%&%$* time. A better solution would be to kick Bush/Cheney/Condi out of office, and go to this summit with other leaders, and basically say, we made a huge mistake, and started a war that should have never been started, now help us get this area under control.

What a absolute crime and disaster. American people should be demonstrating in the streets to demand that Bush be impeached.