Nothing Changed At The White House - U.S. envoy tells Iraqis election won't change policy

[bigtree]

U.S. envoy tells Iraqis election won't change policy

CHRISTOPHER BODEEN, Associated Press Writer

November 8, 2006 11:14 AM

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The American ambassador told Iraqis on Wednesday the sharp political realignment in Congress would not provoke upheaval in U.S. policy, but many in the battered capital had hoped otherwise on a day when at least 66 more people were killed in vicious sectarian attacks.

''I expect a major change in (U.S.) military commands in Iraq. We have to wait and see the strategy of the new secretary and how we will deal with him. We hope he will be more effective and more serious in achieving security in Iraq,'' he added.

Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad acknowledged ''the effort to help Iraq succeed was a major issue'' in the election during brief remarks to a group of Iraqi journalists at an embassy reception.

But he reminded the journalists that U.S. policy in Iraq and elsewhere had not been wrenched from the administration's hands by the major shift on Capitol Hill:

''The president is the architect of U.S. foreign policy. He is the commander in chief of our armed forces. He understands what is at stake in Iraq. He sees success as an imperative for America's national interest. He is committed to working with both Houses of the American Congress to get support needed for the mission in Iraq to succeed.''


report: http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=WORLD&ID=564837046355888014


http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bigtree

[Mythsaje]

1. "What, you think this is a Democracy?" n/t

[bigtree]

2. democracy? autocracy? plutocracy?

let's call the whole thing off

[itsmesgd]

3. that's until we change the envoy too!!

Things are going to change. They now HAVE to make Iraq better or else more political heads will roll.

[bigtree]

5. they won't be able to refine the imperialism there

It's a dangerously flawed equation which leaves our troops there, fighting and dying in defense of the Maliki regime, on one side of a multi-fronted civil war.

[phiddle]

4. "...until further notice."

(Like so much in this administration.)