http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/11/16/rice.powell/index.html

So why quote him as the spokesman on Iran? j

“It is time to clean house in the State Dept….”

And Condi Rice is gonna do it?

All I can say is: “Don’t hold your breath.”

I agree with your point completely. But whether Armitage falls into that category of cold war warrior or not, I believe, is open to debate.

I hereby announce the conclusion of my defense of Mr. Armitage.

But on the broader point, I think there are a bunch of cold warriors (many of whom were fine, even inspired, when fighting the Soviets) who for various different reasons, are simply unable to grasp how the world has changed since ’89. But the common thread is an inability to move mentally from the bipolar 1945-1989 world to the unipolar world of the 21st century. In a bipolar world, it – sometimes – is necessary to make serious compromises of principle, as you have an adversary capable of destroying you if necessary. The mistake is thinking like that today, as if, should we displease France too much, they’ll nuke all our cities. So things like “stability” are overvalued.

I am not aiming at anyone. I think you, Roger and me all share similar opinions about State and Iran. I do think we might be jumping the gun on Armitage. I haven’t read it in a long time, but I don’t think The Armitage Report was a document that places him in the sympathetic to the “maintaining stability” camp. As I posted earlier, it was co-written with Wolfowitz. Second, as I also said, why take at face what an AP reporter says.

Third, Armitage’s life story deserves a great deal of respect. The little I know about it is extraordinary. He is a patriot who risked his life and not some “lifer” at State. Fourth, from my small corner of the world, Armitage has been a blessing and has helped create relations between the U.S. and Japan that have never been better.

But your broader point may well be true. But do you know it is true? Does he have “passion for stability.” What I have read by him and when I have heard him speak he seems to be most passionate about liberty and justice. A something that is very different from stability.

This post helps gel for me what is wrong with the UN. I guess KofiGate is, for me, reprehensible and the associated conflagration amusing; but neither essentially harmful to world affairs.

The post with:

Please keep in mind Israel is in violation of more United Nations resolutions than all other countries of the world combined. Iran is not in violation of any United Nations resolutions.

helps me understand what is really damaging about the UN: it provides cover for hiding from reality and from consequences.

I assume you first comment was aimed at me. I did not say that Armitage is part of the Arabist/Islamicist cabal at State. I said his views on maintaining stability makes him sympathetic to their arguments about regime change.