Steve,

This event, like so many others you do really amazes me.

First question -- when do you sleep?

Second -- Will John Bolton be watching?

You should demand that he answer THE QUESTION: "What were Bush's goals for Iraq and Afghanistan?" Followup question, after he avoids answering the first: "What role do control of oil and natural gas play in the Bush's policies toward Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan?"

I don't expect the interview to be worthwhile in any sense, because Khalilzad will most likely continue to perpetrate the falsehoods that got us where we are. Any hint of America's true ambitions is poor form.

Having said that, there is a slim chance that he might do an Olmert and actually say something that's true. After all, he is wrapping up a distinguished career and probably has a book to write.

I think that Khalilzad was quite good and honest during this conversation John. All best, Steve

Steve, you're right. AMB Khalilzad was diplomatic but honest, fresh, informative. He's often viewed as more operator than statesman but your questions brought to light his significant contribution to and understanding of statecraft - and his support and departures from the current administration.

One question: for those interested in watching the conversation, when will it be available and where?

OT - too busy to post today, but noticed a bin laden tape has shown up with comments on jihad towards israel.. like a hollywood script it is right on time.. this is like throwing red meat out to the 'tony forestas' of the world who froth at this kind of stuff.. it reminds me of the end of the show in the wizard of oz when you eventually find out who the guy is behind the curtain and all the big smoke machines...

January 14, 2009
The White House Moron Stumbles to the Finish
THE HUMILIATION OF AMERICA by Paul Craig Roberts

“Early Friday morning the secretary of state was considering
bringing the cease-fire resolution to a UNSC vote and we didn’t
want her to vote for it,” Olmert said. “I said ‘get President Bush
on the phone.’ They tried and told me he was in the middle of a
lecture in Philadelphia. I said ‘I’m not interested, I need to speak
to him now.’ He got down from the podium, went out and took
the phone call.”
"Let me see if I understand this,” wrote a friend in response to
news reports that Israeli Prime Minister Olmert ordered
President Bush from the podium where he was giving a speech
to receive Israel’s instructions about how the United States had
to vote on the UN resolution. “On September 11th, President
Bush is interrupted while reading a story to school children and
told the World Trade Center had been hit--and he went on
reading. Now, Olmert calls about a UN resolution when Bush is
giving a speech and Bush leaves the stage to take the call.

There exists no greater example of a master-servant
relationship.”

Olmert gloated as he told Israelis how he had shamed US
Secretary of State Condi Rice by preventing the American
Secretary of State from supporting a resolution that she had
helped to craft. Olmert proudly related how he had interrupted
President Bush’s speech in order to give Bush his marching
orders on the UN vote.

Israeli politicians have been bragging for decades about the
control they exercise over the US government. In his final press
conference, President Bush, deluded to the very end, said that
the whole world respects America. IN FACT, WHEN THE WORLD
LOOKS AT AMERICA, WHAT IT SEES IS AN ISRAELI COLONY. I

Responding to mounting reports from the Red Cross and human
rights organizations of Israel’s massive war crimes in Gaza, the
United Nations Human Rights Council voted 33-1 on January 12
to condemn Israel for grave offenses against human rights.

On January 13, the London Times reported that Israelis have
gathered on a hillside overlooking Gaza to enjoy the slaughter
of Palestinians in what the Times calls “the ultimate spectator
sport.”

It is AMERICAN SUPPLIED F-16 fighter jets, helicopter gunships,
missiles, and bombs that are destroying the civilian
infrastructure of Gaza and murdering the Palestinians who have
been packed into the tiny strip of land.

What is happening to the Palestinians herded into the Gaza
Ghetto is happening because of American money and weapons.
It is just as much an attack by the United States as an attack by
Israel. THE US GOVERNMENT IS COMPLICIT IN THE WAR CRIMES.

Yet in his farewell press conference on January 12, Bush said
that the world respects America for its compassion.

The compassion of bombing a UN school for girls?

The compassion of herding 100 Palestinians into one house and
then shelling it?

The compassion of bombing hospitals and mosques?

The compassion of depriving 1.5 million Palestinians of food,
medicine, and energy?

The compassion of violently overthrowing the democratically
elected Hamas government?

The compassion of blowing up the infrastructure of one of the
poorest and most deprived people on earth?

The compassion of abstaining from a Security Council vote
condemning these actions?

And this is a repeat of what the Israelis and Americans did to
Lebanon in 2006, what the Americans did to Iraqis for six years
and are continuing to do to Afghans after seven years. And still
hope to do to the Iranians and Syrians.

In 2002 I designated George W. Bush “the White House Moron.”

If there ever was any doubt about this designation, Bush’s final
press conference dispelled it.

Bush talked about connecting the dots, but Bush has failed to
connect any dots for eight solid years.

“Our” president was a puppet for a cabal led by Dick Cheney
and a handful of Jewish neoconservatives, who took control of
the Pentagon, the State Department, the National Security
Council, the CIA, and “Homeland Security.”

From these power positions, the neocon cabal used lies and
deception to invade Afghanistan and Iraq, pointless wars that
have COST AMERICANS $3 TRILLION, WHILE MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS LOSE THEIR JOBS, THEIR PENSIONS, AND THEIR
ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.

“These obviously very difficult economic times,” Bush said in his
press conference, “started before my presidency.”

Bush has plenty of liberal company in failing to connect a $3
trillion dollar war with hard times. The Center on Budget and
Policy Priorities blames Bush’s tax cut, not the wars, for “the
fiscal deterioration.”

Bush told the White House Press Corps, a useless collection of
non-journalists, that the two mistakes of his invasion of Iraq
were: (1) Putting up the “mission accomplished” banner on the
aircraft carrier, which, he said, “sent the wrong message,” and
(2) the absence of the alleged weapons of mass destruction that
he used to justify the invasion.
Although Bush now admits that there were not any such
weapons in Iraq, Bush said that the invasion was still the right
thing to do.

The deaths of 1.25 million Iraqis, the displacement of 4 million
Iraqis, and the destruction of a country’s infrastructure and
economy are merely the collateral damage associated with
“bringing freedom and democracy” to the Middle East.

Unless George W. Bush is the best actor in human history, he
truly believes what he told the White House Press Corps.

WHAT BUSH DID NOT EXPLAIN IS HOW AMERICA IS RESPECTED
WHEN ITS PEOPLE PUT A MORON IN CHARGE FOR EIGHT YEARS. .

I have never commented on this blog before, but I have been reading for quite a long time and watching these streaming meetings that Steve Clemons hosts whenever I can.

I just want to give a standing ovation to Steve Clemons for such a professional, competent meeting with our US Ambassador to the UN. When I saw this, I basically expected a puff job. Steve asked great questions and made it much more interesting than a normal speech. Steve even recognized a guy who asked Khalilzad if he felt like he should apologize to the citizens of the US for participating in the war crime of invading Iraq.

Khalilzad was on the whole forthright, honest, and very, very interesting. He is such a different character than John Bolton and some other Bush administration officials, and I didn't see that until Steve Clemons interrogated him.

In fact, Steve Clemons is a professional inquisitor with a smile. It was so good, and I can't wait to watch the meeting again.

I recommend that everyone here see this exchange again.