The only way that "negotiations with Iran will get off the dime is for Rice to shut up. Everytime she opens her mouth she threatens Iran. that is not conducive to dialogue. At the same time Cheney alienates the Russians in one of his "speaches" (tirades). Next Rumsfeld makes remarks that annoy the Germans. Aren't these the two countrys we are trying to get on our side of the Iranian negotiations? Typical Bush crowd "diplomacy". It seems to me that the international community should tell the the U.S. to bug off and stop trying to run the whole show. Sure we are the 800 pound gorilla but do we have to act that way all the time?

The Iraq situation goes from bad to worse. Now Shiites are fighting Shiites are fighting Sunnis who are fighting everybody.
The government which is suppose to control all the mayhem seems to be largely the cause of it. Because the longer the U.S. is involved the more the Iraqis hate us for killing them. that is understandable. The government is tainted as being a product of the occupation and American influenced. "Staying the course" is proving more and more costly without constructive results. It is past time to pull out and let the matter take its course as it inevitably will.