Sec. State Rice Makes Surprise Vist To Iraq (moved from ATSNN), page 1

U.S Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, has made a suprise visit to Iraq today. The visit was typically secret and was even hidden from top State Department officials until the last minute. Ms. Rice's first port of call was to visit the Kurdish Democratic Party leader Massoud Barzani. She flew there in an Apache helicopter and plans to visit Baghdad later today.

news.yahoo.com
SALADHIN, Iraq - Secretary of State of Condoleezza Rice, on a heavily guarded surprise trip to Iraq on Sunday, urged patience for the country's fragile new government and said Iraqis have made remarkable political progress that can overcome a recent surge of violence.

Obviously there is a security situation ... I want and have wanted to go to Iraq at the right time, and the right time is when they had a new government," Rice said en route to this town in Kurdish northern Iraq.

Rice flew immediately to the mountain stronghold of Kurdish Democratic Party leader Massoud Barzani. She rode in an Apache military helicopter under extremely heavy security.

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Im suprised that her first visit was to the Kurdish north and not to the brand new government in Baghdad. These things are meticulously planned and the diplomatic signals sent by this are clear. The Americans view this Kurdish leader more highly than the elected government of Iraq. Interesting.

Its the equivalent of Ms. Rice visiting Britain and flying immediately to meet Tory leader, Michael Howard, then moving on to see Blair later.

It also seems strange that they blow their secrecy by visiting the Kurdish north then fly into hornets nest Baghdad, so to speak, with the cover of secrecy gone.

With this current Iraqi government expiring in December does this apparent snub indicate whom the Americans would prefer to see running the country?

Strange visit indeed.

[edit on 15/5/05 by subz]