At this point, the dispatch from CNN:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- On a mission to show support for Iraq's fledgling new government, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld arrived Wednesday morning in Baghdad on an unannounced visit.
According to Pentagon spokesman Eric Ruff, the defense secretary was personally asked by President Bush to make the trip at this particularly critical time for the Iraqi political process and was scheduled to meet with Iraqi government and U.S. officials.
Last week, Iraqi lawmakers broke an impasse over the selection of a prime minister when President Jalal Talabani designated Jawad al-Maliki, a Shiite Muslim politician, to the post.
However, this does not necessarily assure a swift formation of a government.
Al-Maliki has 30 days to put together a government and present it for approval by the 275-member Council of Representatives, the new parliament.
Clever of Bush. Don't let Rummy resign. Send him to Iraq. Let nature take its course.
So Rummy is in Iraq to lay down the law. What kind of democracy is it in which a FOREIGN LEADER has beg, cajole and threaten the government to start acting like a government? Did King George send somebody to the Colonies to tell George Washington and his boys to get their crap together? I can't decide if this trip is satire or farce.
The story says Bush sent Rummy to Iraq. I'm thinking Josh Bolten, who seems to be the new loose cannon in town, is behind this move. One of his 5 points this week is to emphasize the "glimmer" of hope in Iraq. He send Rummy to make sure it isn't a "light at the end of the tunnel" which always signifies a bullet train heading right for you. Think Wile E. Coyote building exploding carrots on a railroad track. You get the picture.
I just don't know what Rummy will say to the Iraqis How could he threaten to pull troops out when he tells the American people our troops aren't going anywhere? Besides, are we going to pull out troops out after we built superbases there? And what exactly will Haliburton say? I think Rummy went there with an empty deck.
By the way, there was much rejoicing over the multiple elections that were held. What does that mean if nobody can organize the government. Let's face it, the insurgents are more organized that the American puppet government at this point. They can bomb effectively. The new Iraqi government can't do anything effectively. They can't even meet for more than a half hour. If the insurgents were this organize, there would be peace in Iraq.
Also, a note to Bush and Rummy about Iran. You ignored the pottery rule about Iraq. Here's another one: Do you remember when you were a kid and you reached for another piece of pie before you finished the one on your plate? Same thing applies to Iran. Don't think about starting another war until you finish the war that's on your plate.