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Sunday, November 09, 2008

Plan B

America's commitment to Iraq in the new year is questionable. I hope that Iraq has made enough progress already that their oil income will allow the Iraqis to buy what we may not provide within the next year.

But after years of counting on America to hold the line against Iran in Iraq, maybe the Sunni Arab states and Europeans are thinking of a fall back position:

A senior U.S. official says American and European representatives have met with Arab countries worried about Iran's influence in the Mideast.

The official says foreign ministers from several Arab countries met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

A participant in Sunday's meeting says Arabs are worried about any potential deal on Iran's nuclear program that would give the Persian country more power in the Mideast.


After years of wanting an end to the Bush foreign policy in the Middle East, the Arabs and Europeans are now worried they are about to find out just what that means. They spent the last five years undermining us and now they can't count on us to be "cowboys." Bummer, eh?

I hope they aren't too late to join the game. I hope we don't do anything that makes that question important.