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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Armitage to visit Turkey, Syria, Jordan
2004-12-30
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage will leave this week on a trip to Turkey, Syria and Jordan aimed at boosting U.S. efforts in Iraq ahead of crucial elections there next month, officials have said. The State Department has yet to officially announce Armitage's trip. But a senior official, who asked not to be identifies, said late Tuesday: "I won't take issue with" press reports that he was expected in the three countries. William Burns, assistant secretary of state for the Middle East, was expected to accompany Armitage to Syria and Jordan, the official said.

He said the talks in the three countries would focus on bilateral issues and Iraq, particularly efforts to involve the country's Sunnis in the Jan. 30 elections despite violence and intimidation by insurgents. A U.S. source in Ankara said Armitage, due to step down early next year along with his boss, Secretary of State Colin Powell, was expected Sunday for talks on Monday with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.
Posted by:Fred

#32  Armitage is a decent guy but basically a plodder. He's ridden on Powell's coattails for most of his career and is part of the "overwhelming force" anti-democracy promotion beltway faction that the State Dept's arabists love so much.

Time for him to move on, IMHO.
Posted by: lex   2004-12-30 11:29:34 PM  

#31  Actually, a Greek would probably be better acquainted with Telly Savalas aka Kojak than any American under 35 years of age.
Posted by: lex   2004-12-30 11:27:22 PM  

#30  Tex: Let's be clear. The ultimatium to Prev was given by Armitage and one other person (don't recall the other person off hand). Prev knew that Armitage was the conduit for Bush, and that he really had no other recourse. Armitage was the message carrier, not the message originator.

Armitage is so in tight with Powell, that some refer to him as a klingon. He is not alone. There are many in the military who grew to admirer Powell.

My preference is Josh Bolton over Armitage.
Posted by: Capt America   2004-12-30 11:23:26 PM  

#29  My Big Fat GreekTurkey Wedding.

Where is my Windex?
Posted by: Poison Reverse   2004-12-30 11:08:04 PM  

#28  send some nice looking chicks even Bridney would do much better than Kojak

Fred, also could you try to find a real Turk instead of Ameri-trolls raised on 1970s Greek-American TV action heroes and 1970s slang?

chicks - LOL
Posted by: lex   2004-12-30 10:00:04 PM  

#27  Aris uses "dude" -- hmmmm.
Posted by: Tom   2004-12-30 9:50:18 PM  

#26  pretty obviously not the old Murat - better engrish, vernacular ("face it dude"), less thought....

weak-ass effort.
Posted by: Frank G   2004-12-30 9:47:51 PM  

#25  Face it dude, lately the Americans are unpopular in Turkey, in fact I should say everywhere outside your borders.

Murat, pay attention here. There's a fine point of American history that you (and many others, including the entire EU and some of our very own domestic Leftists) appear not to appreciate properly.

The U.S. is often described as a "nation of immigrants." This is key.

For the most part, most of us are monumentally indifferent to how the rest of the world's power elites and opinion leaders think of us. That's because we're the descendants of the people who moved here to get away from the power elites and opinion leaders in their former countries. They were the people that the power elites and opinion leaders oppressed, or at least looked down on and considered the wretched of the Earth.

Well, the people who packed up and came to the U.S. didn't get mad, they got even. They went on, in the freedom of the New World, to surpass the achievements of the Old--and to rescue it from itself a few times over the last century.

In short, Br'er Turk, WE DO NOT CARE.
Posted by: Mike   2004-12-30 9:29:55 PM  

#24  Chineese hate Turks and kill them with ease, using advanced whiz bangs, zipees and bugles. LOL!
Posted by: Shipman   2004-12-30 8:05:20 PM  

#23  Man, it would be nice to go to Turkey and get some cheap crank and hash, and really let loose.
Posted by: Asedwich   2004-12-30 7:32:10 PM  

#22  CL - Lol!

On certain topics, it appears we already have some new trolls, methinks. Talk about hot-button issues... pharmaceutical industry, death penalty, etc. Just brush the button and whammo!
Posted by: .com   2004-12-30 7:30:14 PM  

#21  I miss the original Murat. I was about to say I miss Boris. But that's not true.

Fred: Can you do anything about getting us some new trolls?
Posted by: Classical_Liberal   2004-12-30 7:24:12 PM  

#20  buh-bye troll
Posted by: Frank G   2004-12-30 6:49:57 PM  

#19  Face it dude, lately the Americans are unpopular in Turkey, in fact I should say everywhere outside your borders.

They should not send an ugly baldy to pep up the relations, send some nice looking chicks even Bridney would do much better than Kojak.
Posted by: Murat   2004-12-30 6:38:18 PM  

#18  Murat: shot him in the foot, huh? Complete bowel and bladder release? yuch. Why would you be bragging about that? troll
Posted by: Frank G   2004-12-30 6:19:05 PM  

#17  Armitage has said he was not a SEAL, but rather a counter-insurgency officer.
Posted by: true nuff   2004-12-30 6:16:38 PM  

#16  Calm down, Murat, or we'll have to report you to the Umut Foundation.
Posted by: Mike   2004-12-30 6:11:26 PM  

#15  Did anyone mention that he was former Navy Seal?
Posted by: Poison Reverse   2004-12-30 6:09:08 PM  

#14  Murat, we know you're not a real person. Even your spelling mistakes are those of a bot.
Posted by: lex   2004-12-30 6:08:27 PM  

#13  tu3031,

last time I met a general of yours at the airport I shot the sucker in his foot, this time I shoot mr dogface in hiss ass.

Boy this guy is really ugly, he doesn't need any make up to play a role in a 3rd class hollywood movie as the sucker bad guy
Posted by: Murat   2004-12-30 6:04:08 PM  

#12  high school or college wrestler IIRC - it shows
Posted by: Frank G   2004-12-30 6:02:17 PM  

#11  USNC grad, served in Vietnam, a close associate of Powell's through multiple Republican administrations.

Though it's also said he's an ICBM come to life. They don't have necks, either
Posted by: lex   2004-12-30 5:44:04 PM  

#10  Was the gentleman ever a Marine?
Posted by: trailing wife   2004-12-30 5:38:59 PM  

#9  Meet him at the airport, Murat. He'll headbutt your sorry ass til you cry like a girl...
Posted by: tu3031   2004-12-30 1:50:53 PM  

#8  What was the ultimatium Captain ?
Because if cooperation is what we received from it, it certainly wasn't bad
Posted by: tex   2004-12-30 1:48:00 PM  

#7  I find Armitage strong in many areas, but he has historically made some truly asshead comments. My understanding is that he was the one to put the ultimatium to Pakistan post-9/11
Posted by: Capt America   2004-12-30 1:44:57 PM  

#6  Yea but come on guys, the guy is butt ugly.

Posted by: Murat Sucks   2004-12-30 1:38:52 PM  

#5  Hell he could overrun a brigade of Turkish infantry faster than a Chinee company with advanced whiz bangs and bugles.
Posted by: Shipman   2004-12-30 1:35:55 PM  

#4  Murat - his crap could kick your ass. Punk
Posted by: Frank G   2004-12-30 11:42:15 AM  

#3  PFFttttt 007, he looks more like a shithead to me, we'll rub his baldy and give him a bone that fits his bulldog face.
Posted by: Murat   2004-12-30 11:31:46 AM  

#2  Armitage is the diplomatic equivalent of James Bond. An exceedingly dangerous individual, whose real purpose in government has been much the same no matter what official job he holds. He is the man who is sent when the US *threatens* other countries. He is realpolitik personified, and a master at brinkmanship. For example, when India and Pakistan were close to nuclear war, Armitage was sent, first to Pakistan, and then he flew directly to India, right over what was at that moment, the hottest AAA area on the planet. Neither side dared to shoot down his aircraft. He scared both sides back to the bargaining table, possibly threatening nuclear annihilation if one of them launched a nuke. He is 007. He is not sent for routine diplomatic missions.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2004-12-30 11:21:23 AM  

#1  So, what'd he do to get on the shit-list?

I presume he has a tailored message to deliver in each locale. I hope they are all strongly worded and, to make the points crystal clear, accompanied by photocopies from Jim Baker's briefcase.
Posted by: .com   2004-12-30 1:32:08 AM  

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