Decision ‘08

Our MVP in Iraq

Whatever happens in Iraq (and the situation, though serious, doesn’t appear to be as grim as it was a week ago), we have an ambassador there who will doubtless never get the thanks he deserves. He’s out there working the parties again today:

The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, in an effort to break the political stalemate over the formation of a new government, has urged the nation’s political leaders to hold a summit conference somewhere in Iraq to settle on a multiparty coalition government, the embassy spokeswoman said Friday.

The ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, “is proposing this idea as a possibility to push forward the formation of a national unity government,” said the spokeswoman, Elizabeth Colton.

Khalilzad has taken an active role in trying to help Iraq’s political leaders usher in a new representative government, but the process has hit an impasse in recent days over deep disagreements about who should be the next prime minister, the government’s top executive.

Khalilzad is not without his critics (of course), but he also did a bang-up job in Afghanistan. The biggest heroes in Iraq, of course, are the soldiers from America and her allies who are fighting and dying alongside Iraqis who are trying to make their country a better place for the future. Khalilzad, though, is not far behind them…he has been tough, realistic, and no small factor in the fact that things have not just completely disintegrated in the wake of the latest violence.

My hat’s off to you, sir…

7 Responses to “Our MVP in Iraq”

1 AcademicElephant Says:
March 10th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
Interesting, wouldn’t it be, if Khalilzad turns out to be Bush’s best and most important appointment?
2 Mark Says:
March 10th, 2006 at 7:36 pm
Well, let’s hope it turns out that way…because if he can bring everyone to the table and pull this out, he may very well be just that…
3 Muffin the Cat Says:
March 10th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
Isn’t he the person who feels a civil war is going on inside Iraq now? Correct if I am wrong.
4 Mark Says:
March 10th, 2006 at 11:35 pm
No, I think he just said there was a potential for civil war - of course, I could be wrong, as well…
5 Muffin the Cat Says:
March 10th, 2006 at 11:52 pm
You are correct. Here is the quote from the Rumsfeld interview earlier this week. Should have checked before posting.

But if I may, Ambassador Khalilzad told the Los Angeles Times that he believes — I’m quoting here — “The potential is there now for sectarian violence to become a full-blown civil war, and that Iraq is really vulnerable at this time.”
6 Con George-Kotzabasis Says:
March 11th, 2006 at 1:10 am
Ambassador Khalilzad’s, both in Afghanistan and in Iraq, has been a sterling performance. If his blandishments to the troika of power, the Shiites, the Sunnis, and the Kurds, are going to be successful in forming a government of national unity, he should be getting a standing ovation. And the formation of such a government will take the wind off the sails of a civil war.

The chances are, that Khalilzad will be getting his standing ovation.

http://congeorgekotzabasis.blogspot.com
7 ZenPolitics Says:
March 11th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
Yep, it is one time where we have someone who speaks the language, understands the culture, and at the same time is a strong advocate for American interests. Not every ambassador we have comes close to meeting those standards.