OT: Negroponte to go to State (I think to bail out Condi who is a failed SecState)

[beachmom]

Interesting diary on this. I agree with Scenario 1:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/1/4/05740/77973

This goes back to the fact that she is a failed Diplomat. That Kerry and Dodd showed her up so badly when they accomplished more in 2 hours in Syria than she would in 2 years. But because she is so popular, she can't be fired or demoted.

[wisteria]

1. Interesting scenario.

Although, it may well be that she would of liked to negotiate, but her boss will not allow it and is sending over a tough guy to suggest that we mean business. In other words, the strong arm tactic, one that Condi can't seem to pull off because she isn't taken seriously as a bully.

[TayTay]

2. Not surprised here

Richard Clarke and others called Condi the worst NSA in American History. Her job as National Security Advisor was to vett information from the various agencies like the CIA, the Pentagon and State and make an objective case to the President for what should happen. She was the clearinghouse, she was supposed to see all sides in the dispute and mediate a response for the President. She utterly failed. Rumsfeld walked all over her. She utterly failed to do her job and acted as a arm of Defense, not a neutral buffer asssessing it for the President and the country.

It is hardly surprising to see her failing as SecofState and requiring a bailout. Dr. Rice is a smart and capable woman. But she simply doesn't have the wherewithall to draw back and be neutral when that is what is called for. She was too deeply involved in the neocon plans. She could not divorce her personal agenda as one of The Vulcans from her duties to the country. She was a failed NSA and is now a failed SecofState.

Negroponte is no prize. Anyone familiar with Iran-Contra history will understand that this guy knows where a lot of bodies are buried. (Ahm, literally and figuratively.) That's why he's being brought in, he can be relied on to do whateverf needs doing without asking any pesky moral questions.

I would not be surprised to see Condi get tossed sometime soon. We shall see who gets summoned to answer questions before the SFRC, Condi or Negroponte. That will tell us a lot right there. (Oh and Nicholas Burns as well.)

[sandnsea]

3. Scenario 2

This is NOT good news. I don't think we can turn back the clock where we play footsie with these monarchies in order to get the oil. I don't think their people will put up with it anymore, that's where the terrorists are coming from. We actually do need people with the vision for a more representative ME, but with the wisdom to know it can't be forced on them at gunpoint. That doesn't sound like Negroponte, or any of the Bush cronies, to me. The right has bitched about State for decades, this is their last chance to weed out the do-gooders and promote the muscle. Seems to me that's why Negroponte is going there, another loyal soldier to the end.

[ProSense]

4. More reason to hold this admin accountable and keep an eye on them. In other news

Reports: Khalilzad to U.N.; McConnell to intelligence

Breaking news about two high-level Bush administration vacancies:

ABC News says it "has learned" that President Bush will nominate Zalmay Khalilzad, currently the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, to be the new U.N. ambassador. He would fill the seat of John Bolton.

The Associated Press says it has been told by a senior administration official that retired vice admiral Mike McConnell, a veteran of more than 25 years in the intelligence field, will be named by the president to succeed John Negroponte as national intelligence director.

[beachmom]

5. What??? Khalilzad was the only brain in Iraq. So now that he has

failed there he's being promoted? To be fair to him, he was being set up to fail in Iraq, but the political situation in Iraq is now going to seriously deteriorate moreso than ever without him there to have tea with all the different factions. Who will be replacing him?