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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

The State Department denies the details of the Olmert/Rice thing I wrote about in that long post yesterday, suggesting "the Israeli government might want to clarify or correct the record."

(JPost) 'PM stands by his version in diplo spat'

Olmert's statement was incredibly insulting to the US and to Rice personally. It's the biggest gaffe by an Israeli PM ever.

By Anonymous, at 9:12 AM
I don't know the history in enough detail to agree fully with that, but it was HUGE.

(And I'm still working on the assumption that the statement was intentional, although a moment of unguarded braggadocio is possible as well.)

By mikevotes, at 10:35 AM
He made a speech in Ashkelon boasting about it. Obviously for domestic consumption. He's known to be careless with words.

He's standing by his version of the story BTW which is strange. Normally something like this gets swept under the carpet.

By Anonymous, at 10:48 AM
Well, especially since the speech in question was not interrupted as he claimed.

I'm still not completely sure what he's doing. There is a domestic component, but I also think damaging Rice is intended to be a shot across the bow for anyone in the US calling for a ceasefire, especially with the incoming administration.

By mikevotes, at 10:51 AM
I don't think they take Rice seriously. Does anyone?

By Anonymous, at 11:05 AM
I gotta say, I was a huge Rice basher up until this year. The dynamics of the White House changed a bit, and she got a little more power as Cheney receded. She still wasn't great, but she was better.

I really think she was working this ceasefire as her exit piece.

(The short answer is no.)

By mikevotes, at 2:37 PM
Let's hope she explains what happened in her book.

By Anonymous, at 3:53 PM