Quote Of The Day

From a security official in the Middle-East. Let it sink in.

“They burnt some flags, but for us, burning flags is not a security issue, it’s an environmental issue.”

It's from a broader NY Times piece on the Middle-East's response to the summit between Bush and Maliki. I think befuddlement is the word ... all around. Either many are misunderestimating what has been achieved behind the scenes. Or, as has happened before during the Bush presidency, expectations were permitted to outstrip any potential results of an event.

But as the summit meeting between President Bush and Prime Minister Kamal Nuri al-Maliki of Iraq concluded Thursday morning, the Arab world was left dumbfounded that nothing had come of it.

“I am baffled by what I saw,” said Abdel Moneim Said, director of the Ahram Center for Strategic Studies in Cairo. “This was an expression of the Americans in deep trouble, but Bush’s approach to dealing with the Iraqi problem also bore the signs of someone out of touch with what is going on.”

Comments

[jennie]

It was reminiscent of "You're doing a heck of a job, Brownie!!" only it was "You're doing a heck of a job, maliki!!" Very lame, both times!

[salvage]

>are misunderestimating what has been achieved behind the scenes.

What exactly has been achieved? You left that bit out.

[Dan Riehl]

What exactly has been achieved? You left that bit out.

Dumb as a box of rocks. LMAO

[andy]

"Dumb as a box of rocks. LMAO"

Don't be so hard on yourself, Dan.

[Dan Riehl]

Okay, I'll splin it for you clowns. If we soon see changes as a result of what was going on behind the scenes - ie Cheney in Saudi Arabia, Bush with the King apart from Maliki - and efforts Ricer has recently made to reach out to leaders in the ME - then something was achieved. We dont' see or sense it as it is is taking place behind the scenes. Get it?

And, no, I don't think that's the case, but clearly something is going on that we aren't being told about. I suspect Cheney's visit with the Saudis was key. Contrast that with today's leak of us considering stopping trying to reach out to the Sunnis. It's BS, if you asked me. But leaked to build credibility with the Shi'ites - and particularly designed to give him some cover with them right now because of the boycott of the government by some.

Try to keep up. I don't have all day to explain things to you clowns.

[heheh]

As I recall, Dan wrote 'Let it sink in.'

[ketani]

Cheney was SUMMONED by the Saudi's. They're sick and tired of the violence we've created. Cheney didn't go there of his free accord. Can't you keep up??? Smells like desperation!!

[Phoenix]

"“I am baffled by what I saw,”"

That's the whole point. Obviously, it's not just the libertarians who expect to KNOW everything the government does. Regular simpletons figure it's their due.

We probably are not privy to 80% of what goes on behind the scenes. As it should be. People are too stupid.

[Jason Van Steenwyk]

Well, DUH!!!

Of COURSE we're not privy to what happens "behind the scenes." That's why they call it "behind the scenes," dummies! If we were, they wouldn't call it "behind the scenes." Something else would be behind the scenes.

Charter members of the Smaller Bus Club.

[Phoenix]

Well, DUH ! ! !

Nice deconstruction, dufus. It's all about expectations and the attitude that allows for such. It's screwing up everything - including your ability to pull your sad sack off the literalist's daybed.

Now beyond what you have written there, what's your point?

[Sherlock]

The fact that the NYT released a 30 day-old classified memo expressing doubts about Maliki one day before the meeting had nothing to do with this outcome. It's all about our enemies' right to know, dammit!