Saturday, February 19, 2005

"Diplomacy comes first, Bush assures Europe"

That's the headline to a Globe & Mail article.
U.S. President George W. Bush said yesterday that Iran is trying to use Washington's refusal to join European talks on Tehran's nuclear program as an excuse for not giving up uranium enrichment.

He stressed that the United States prefers diplomacy and does not want to use military action.

"What they're trying to do is kind of wiggle out. They're trying to say, 'Well, we won't do anything because America is not involved.' Well, America is involved. We're in close consultation with our friends," Mr. Bush told Germany's ARD television ahead of a Europe trip next week.
About what I would expect from someone who can't read. But not very good for someone who is supposed to be "the leader of the free world." In close consultation with one's friends (Who would that be? Israel?) is a long way from being in negotiations with a particular country.

The headline caught my attention because it immediately reminded me of an incident in a company where I used to work. We had a receptionist from hell. I never did figure out why they would put someone like her at the reception desk, but...no matter. She went complaining one day to the personnel director that nobody liked her. He said he told her, "Well, Judy, people might respond to you better if you tried being nice to them." And her reply (honest to goodness) was, "I did try! Last Wednesday."

We gave Iran its chance to march to our tune. We expect to see an immediate response. That's American diplomacy in the 21st century.

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