The Bush administration is refusing to talk directly with a host of regimes it criticizes, including Iran, Syria, and the Palestinian government led by Hamas. Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage criticized this approach: “[D]iplomacy is not simply meant for our friends. It is meant for our enemies. “¦ In fact, our enemies need diplomatic engagement more. We ought to have sufficient self-confidence in the correctness of our policy and the ability of our diplomats.”
33: Approval rating of President Bush, his lowest ever as recorded by an AP-Ipsos poll. Bush has also lost the support of his base: “Forty-five percent of self-described conservatives now disapprove of the president.”
The House yesterday overwhelmingly approved a $7.4 billion port security bill, though conservatives bowed to industry and “blocked consideration of a Democratic amendment that would have required that all cargo be screened before it leaves foreign ports for the United States.”
A sad commentary on the way Americans must carry themselves abroad: “The official team bus to be used by the United States during the World Cup will not bear a flag for security reasons. The 32 official buses were presented Thursday in Frankfurt and the other 31 buses have large national flags of the teams painted on rear sides.”
“Under intense pressure,” Rep. Charles H. Taylor (R-NC) has agreed to “drop his effort to block federal funds for a memorial to the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93.” Read more
