So Frightened, They Are Terrified to Talk

As I predicted 10 days ago, the regional conference on Iraq security is failing because the US delegation is afraid to even acknowledge the existence of Iran and Syria.

This is Dick Cheney's doing, pure and simple. The State Department negotiated this conference two weeks ago while Cheney was traveling around the world spreading hatred of the United States in every country he visited. I predicted that, upon returning, Cheney would use his considerable malevolence to intimidate American diplomats and destroy any chance of a successful conference. The fact that Cheney can cower the State Department so completely compounds Condi Rice's reputation as a piss-poor Secretary of State.

Once again, the United States acts as if Iran and Syria are scary monsters while the US is just frightened children. We are so afraid of the boogeymen we pull the covers over our heads and try to pretend they don't exist. Iran and Syria, on the other hand, look like a couple of adults willing and able to sit and talk.