It's Good to Talk

The Iranian government has given a guarded welcome to the "neighbours' meeting" proposed by the sovereign, independent Iraqi government and supported by the United States, to which staff and agencies refer as "an apparent U-turn on Mr Bush's strategy towards the Middle East". Well, hardly. The sovereign, independent Iraqi government, with the Bush administration's consent, has limited the agenda to "questions of Iraqi security"; and although it is the US, rather than the sovereign, independent Iraqi government, which has accused Iran and Syria of supporting the insurgency, the US and Iran will not be negotiating directly with one another.

Despite this manifest lack of interest in a Whole Middle East Peace Plan (remember that?), the Bush administration's little helper has welcomed the talks, but has noted sternly that "In terms of Iran and Syria, the issue is not contact," since Iran at least has expressed an interest in negotiations; "the issue is what their response is and whether they engage properly and whether we see a constructive attitude" or, in Standard English, whether those damned natives will do as they are told: "what we want to see is hard, concrete results - that's on the ground in Iraq, that's on the ground in Lebanon, that's on the ground in terms of influence used in Palestine as well."

So the sovereign, independent Iraqi government will tell Iran and Syria to stop their shit, and unless this results in US officials ceasing to throw accusations about, no doubt all options will remain open.