Arab News Blog

There’s been quite a bit of talk in the conference here about the way that George Mitchell has either been sidelined or has for other reasons faded from the scene. Of course, it’s not just Mitchell that has been sidelined, it’s the whole justice-based and vigorous U.S. pursuit of peace that his appointment back in January 2009 seemed to promise.

So today the NYT tells us that Sec. Clinton and three of her top aides are fanning out to the Middle East in a concerted campaign to–

…make a push for Palestinian-Israeli peace? No!

Rather, they’re trekking out to try to line regional leaders up behind the latest step in the (AIPAC- and Likud-driven) campaign to ratchet the pressure up inexorably against Iran.

And who are these envoys?

Well, there’s Hillary herself, who’s going to Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Then, there’s her Under-Secretary for political affairs, Bill Burns, who’s going to Syria.

And there are her two Deputy Secretaries, for Policy and Administration… James Steinberg (Policy) will be going to Israel, and Jacob Lew (Administration) will be going to Israel, Egypt, and Jordan.

And when was the last time we heard any major news about George Mitchell? (Yawn.)

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