SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt, May 4, 2007
Iranian Walks Out Of Dinner With Condi
Claims Female Violinist Was Dressed Too Revealingly; Also Blames U.S. For Iraq Turmoil
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Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attends the second day of the Expanded Ministerial Conference for the Neighbors of Iraq in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt, May 4, 2007. (AP)
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Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucherh Mottaki attends the second day of the Iraq Conference for the countries neighboring Iraq, in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt, May 4, 2007. (AP)
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"I don't know which woman he was afraid of, the woman in the red dress or the secretary of state," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday, regarding the actions of Iran's Manouchehr Mottaki.
Rice herself was questioned by reporters about the lack of a direct conversation with Mottaki, even though it appeared she was "chasing" him.
"Uh, well, you could ask him why he didn't make an effort," she replied. Then she laughed. "Look, I'm not given to chasing anyone."
So the face to face between Rice and Mottaki never happened, reports CBS News correspondent Charlie D'Agata. Instead, U.S. and Iranian delegations met at a lower, "expert" level, which while significant, is not a first.
"Our officials did, as they did in Baghdad, have an opportunity to exchange views about the substance of this meeting," Rice said.
So much of this Iraq summit has been about the U.S. and Iran, but with good reason, reports D'Agata. America blames Iran for violence in Iraq, Iran blames America, and the Iraqis have been urging both countries to put their differences aside and put Iraq first.
The dinner episode Thursday night amid a major regional conference on Iraq perfectly revealed how hard it was to bring together the top diplomats of the two rival nations.
In other developments:
Meanwhile, Iraq's neighbors on Friday negotiated a declaration that would pledge support for Iraq's embattled Shiite-led government in return for more inclusion of Sunni Arabs in the political process.
A draft copy of the six-page declaration said the summit participants would agree to support Iraq's government as long as it ensured the "basic right of all Iraqi citizens to participate peacefully in the political process through the country's political system."
Also Friday at the conference, Mottaki delivered a tough speech, blaming the U.S. military presence for Iraq's turmoil and demanding the release of five Iranians detained by U.S. forces in Iraq.
"There should be no doubt that the continuation of and increase in terrorist acts in Iraq originates from the flawed approaches adopted by the foreign troops," Mottaki said. "The United States must accept the responsibilities arising from the occupation of Iraq."
Later, he emphasized his points to reporters.
"The polices of the occupation forces in Iraq are basically flawed, and the policies have failed, and we must try to correct these policies," Mottaki said.
On the conference's other main front, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Friday pushed Arab governments to stop foreign fighters from crossing their territory to join Iraq's insurgency, while trying to convince the Arabs that his Shiite-led government was serious about reconciling with Iraq's Sunnis.
Going into the summit, the Iraqi government had hoped for a breakthrough meeting between Rice and Mottaki. Instead, their only direct contact was a wary exchange of pleasantries over lunch Thursday, punctuated by a wry, somewhat mysterious comment by Mottaki.
Mottaki walked out of the diplomats' dinner on the pretext that the female violinist entertaining the gathering was dressed too revealingly.
The Iranian entered the lunch, greeting the gathered diplomats with the Arabic phrase, "As-salama aleikum," or "Peace be upon you," according to an Iraqi official who was present.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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See all 340 CommentsPosted by harp1963 at 08:24 AM : May 04, 2007
So what your saying is that we should denegrate highly positioned women in our country to playing second fiddle to men solely on the basis that their presence may offend somebody? Hogwash! I say that if they truly want political engagement that they will at least accept our culture and meet us 50/50 at the batgaining table. This is further evidence that common communication is impossible with the Iranians unbless we are willing to bow down and appease them at every level.
This is exactly the same way, Republican Talibans complain about American women like Britney Spears.
There is no difference between Iranian Talibans and American Republican Talibans.
All the Neo-cons should be sent to Iran to start living with the people of their own mindset.There should be no place for these enemies of FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY in United States.
Posted by davidchery at 08:44 AM : May 04, 2007
Economy of our country is based on Middle Eastern oil.There is no problem buying Oil from any country.The real problem lies in Buying Oil from Arabs in cheaper prices and in return supporting their those enemies who were brought into Palestine after WWII to occupy the land of those Palestinians by force who had nothing to do with the crimes comited by Hitler.
The source of all our problems is in the RACISM and INJUSTICE taught by psychosis "CHRISTIANITY" according to which JESUS-LOVING AMERICANS are GOD-NEGLECTED because of being born in a RACE or FAMILY not chosen by GOD and JESUS-HATING NON-AMERICAN EUROPEAN INVADERS IN PALESTINE are GOD-CHOSEN because of the RACE or FAMILY CHOSEN by GOD.
We need to stop unprecedently support the illegitimate and unjustified existance of ISRAEL on the world map on the cost of AMERICAN MONEY,AMERICAN LIVES and USA herself because AMERICANS are GOD-NEGLECTED and NON-AMERICAN are GOD-CHOSEN,America is an UNHOLY LAND whereas occupied Palestine is a HOLY LAND,our constitution which separates CHURCH from STATE is UNHOLY whereas the ANTI-AMERICAN BIBLE which discriminates against Americans by not promising them a single penny while promising NON AMERICANS a land in the MIDDLE EAST,is HOLY.
I know why the Iranian Foreigh Minister had to leave after seeing the woman dressed as a modern, accomplished FIRST class citizen - he had a HUGE WOODY !!
I would definitely lose my appetite.
To move Al Maliki--the Int. community should tie all aid or even forgiveness to significant steps in reallocation of oil profits, how the government is represented, and rebuilding the infrastructure in Sunni neighborhoods as well as Shia* (* currently the gov. ignores Sunni neighborhoods and often does not rebuild, or provide utilities including trash pick up, sewers, or even potable water or electricity) these kinds of things fuel anger, isolation, discontent and hopelessness--all great fodder to feed an insurgency.
Posted by ernestgough at 09:06 AM : May 04, 2007
In Christianity, actions have no value.A new born child incapable of comiting a sin or even to make an intention about comiting a sin is born in a sin he or she has never comited.
Sins comited by Adam and Eve,Sinners are those innocent new born children who can't even think about comiting a sin and the price of the sins are paid by a third party named JESUS.
This above-mentioned ideology is as psychotic as people in Europe were killed by Hitler and price payed by those inncoent Palestinians who can't even speak the language spoken by Hitler,Concentration camps were in Germany and Islrael is founded in an entirely different continent in Palestine,is as psychotic as OSAMA BEEN-FORGOTTEN was in TORA BORA and BUSH attacked Iraq which had nothing to do with 9/11.
CHRISTIATITY is PSYCHOSIS and CHRISTIANS are PSYCHOTICS.
Unfortunately,Christianity is no longer only a PSYCHOSIS but a tool to fool the people of USA.Majority of Americans've been made SLAVES,SERVANTS,PROTECTORS and DEFENDERS of NON-AMERICANS on the basis of AMERICANS being GOD-NEGLECTED and NON-AMERICANS being GOD-CHOSEN.
Posted by vbnvbn at 09:06 AM : May 04, 2007
Yep. They all want the white chicks! :)
Posted by diverinnl at 08:43 AM : May 04, 2007
Get google spell check is in task bar.
Another gripe to unload here: When I took Speech in school, there was a deduction for everytime you used the non-word "uh" in a speech. These career government officials are sure lazy when it comes to their public speaking.
And your evidence for this is ... ?
Also, were we not there, no soldiers would be killed.
"The Iranian distain for a modern woman symbolizes how oppressed women are under Islamic law."
It's their culture. He can feel how he wants. We don't get to dictate that. In their culture, women don't dress revealingly, and he found the dress offensive. We don't think that way here. That's our culture. Different is not necessarily wrong.
"Furthermore his "blaming of America" and not the militants for the problems in the middle east sound like most posts here at leftwing central."
The people in the Middle East live there. Sure, they are responsible for their own problems. However, the American presence in Iraq is making matters worse, and we are responsible for that.
No one is "blaming America" for what others are doing, regardless of your paranoid protestations. However, adults (on both a personal and an international level) both assign and take responsibility where it belongs. That is the only mature and sensible way to resolve disputes. Mutual fingerpointing only deepens divisions.
While I am no fan of neo cons--I noted this the other day and it still stands--What is the difference in Cons trying to force their beliefs and views on other Americans and trying to enact laws to make them compulsory (like no abortions) and the liberals trying to force all of America to ignore illegal immigration and to rewrite the laws to suit one Demographic --thus forcing the acceptance of line jumpers, cheaters and fraud committers (ie., illegal immigrants--fake.stolen ids, ss#s) on the rest of society?
It seems each group believes their cause is just and righteous and in the best interest of the rest of the country and do not feel even the slightest remorse in trying to make others accept their version of morality, compassion and reality. You know what they say: A righteous man, is one who believes in the justice and superiority of his own cause in contrast to the evil, bigotry and narrowmindedness of others.
Insert the paranoid bigotry of your choice here.
flippant state department comments - coming in all day about the Iranian delegation -
while the fact is our troops are dying in a civil war and we need to bring Iran, as well as Syria, into serious negotiations.
this article seems to put personal sensitivities before the big issue: the lives of US citizens.
This posting really begs the question and facts of the situation. If our troops were not there, they would not be in a position to be killed in Iraq. I mean there is no good reason for our troops to be in Iraq. This is not a war on terrorism. And this is not a war against an enemy that attacked the USA. Nor did Iraq shield the Al Qaeda forces who did attack the USA. This is an illegal war of aggression.
And most importantly, if the USA were not in Iraq, there would clearly be no terrorism in Iraq now. No insurgents blowing up IED's. Saddam kept all insurgent activity down to his own. He killed fewer people per year than the USA allows to be killed under our illegal occupation.
The next step would be to find something to complain about Condi as a woman in power.
I wonder if Hilary knows that several foreign leaders don't respect women in power, and might even use that pretext as a reason to "liberate" us from these oppressive and anti-Allah women?
good idea to appropriate that trolls identity.
we should do it to all extremists.
Posted by ernestgough at 09:06 AM : May 04, 2007"
Nor are you really correct to say so, however. While the people at the time of the founding were primarily Christian Protestants, the legal principles on which the country were founded are based upon Greek democracy, filtered through English common law.
Really, the single greatest principle upon which this country was founded was tolerance. More people in the modern age would do well to remember that.
Uhmmm--just to clarify: the irony is--this means--causes are always righteous and just to those who are fighting for them, and due to that belief, almost everyone has a narrow view or parameters of how they define "right" or "fair" or "good" or "just".
all this to point out there are no halos here--and that both sides can be amazingly inconsiderate and place themselves above the law. (though each side feels for THEIR cause--that placement is just). We all could use a bit of work on ourselves and instead of legislating for 2 groups of people who are not citizens--(illegal immigrants and fetuses) maybe we need to work a bit more on our own lives and our own selves and perceptions.
I think Thomas Jefferson would be surprised to hear this, since he spent an inordinate amount of time in France studying their system and coming back to apply many of their Priciples and merge them into laws. (Though their outlook may have been originally based on Greek and Roman laws)
Actually, our concepts (as are England's) are an amalgamation of Greek, Roman, and Moorish world views and reflect the years most of the Western world was under their influence.
Really, the single greatest principle upon which this country was founded was tolerance. More people in the modern age would do well to remember that.
Posted by jimibear at 09:47 AM : May 04, 2007
THAT. I agree with, wholeheartedly. Tolerance and empathy or consideration--the one thing many Americans seem to be quite deficient in having.
You don't get to dictate how other people think. Bearing in mind that the delegation and entertainers were visitors in the Middle East, it would have been respectful and courteous to consider their social aesthetics, as we would expect of visitors to our country.
"The next step would be to find something to complain about Condi as a woman in power."
That is your opinion. Advancing an argument based on your prediction of what someone else was going to do next is not sound logic, unless you possess psychic powers of precognition.
"I wonder if Hilary knows that several foreign leaders don't respect women in power, and might even use that pretext as a reason to "liberate" us from these oppressive and anti-Allah women?"
I'm sure they are more aware than you of Arab attitudes in that area. However, again you are imposing your opinion on the facts. In addition, you are assigning to those leaders powers they do not possess. Despite the Bush administrations inflation and exaggeration of the Middle Eastern threat, none of the nations there has the capacity even to contemplate "liberating" the US.
They lack the military capacity to get near us to change our system of government. However, if we keep playing into Osama's publicly announced plan to lure us into an expensive, divisive and unwinnabel war to eventually fragment and bankrupt the country, we will eventually do that for them.
That is where the Iraq disaster is heading. I sometimes wonder if the NeoCons are actually in the pay of Al Qaeda, as they are doing more damage to the country than any terrorist could ever dream of.
And speaking of respect for people in power: the unprofessional, culturally mocking statements like the one from the State Department above would be unworthy of a third-grader. Whoever made that statement needs to lose their job, as they have no concept of diplomacy. It was clearly and deliberately intended to be insulting, and childish to boot.
Just like this, in fact:
"I'm not sure how these people ever get to breed, being so scared of a woman showing a little clevage.
Posted by lilvinnyb at 09:50 AM : May 04, 2007
+ report abuse"
The immediate assumption is that they are "scared" of women because they believe they should not reveal themselves. Does that mean we are scared of nudity because our laws prohibit our going naked in public? I don't think so.
Grow up.
"The Al Maliki government should be required to vote on whether they want an American presence in Iraq. If they vote yes, that gives legitimacy to our being there. If they vote no, we should get out."
Now THAT would be "Iraqi freedom".
"Actually, our concepts (as are England's) are an amalgamation of Greek, Roman, and Moorish world views ... "
Thanks for the clarification, toldyouso. I was a little simplistic in my post ... went straight to the original source (Greece)and the cultural one (Greece) and didn't include other more recent influences. Jefferson definitely looked to the French system, as you state.
And Fake Iceman Didntinhale - don't you mean "Hanoi Condi"? After all, you should never negotiate, right? We dont' want to end a war - we want to keep fighting and spending the taxpayers money to make our top 1/10th of 1% richer, right?
And dig the fact that when Pelosi went to Syria, there was an "immediate and noticeable" reduction in the influx of Syrian fighters to Iraq.
Cunti goes to dinner, and Middle Eastern diplomats walk out.
Golly gee, Beav, this administration sure does suck, huh?
Along with some wine and soft music (no violins please). Sounds pretty hot, eh?
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