Looks as though Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has not quite gotten full control of goings-on at the State Department.
Just a few hours after President Bush 's speech Tuesday night on "significant progress" in Iraq -- notwithstanding that more work is to be done -- the department issued a new warning for folks thinking of traveling to Iraq. Bottom line: DON'T GO.
Listening to Bush, you might have thought it was time to invest in Iraqi tourism opportunities. But the State Department "continues to strongly warn U.S. citizens against travel to Iraq, which remains very dangerous," said the advisory, which was virtually identical to one issued eight months ago.
"Remnants of the former Baath regime, transnational terrorists and criminal elements remain active," we were told. "Attacks against military and civilian targets throughout Iraq continue, including in the International (or 'Green') Zone."
Hmmmm. Last year that zone was considered fairly safe. Government officials recall being able to jog in the Green Zone a while back. Recently, they were strongly advised that this would not be such a great idea.
This does not sound promising for tour groups. Well, if they just stayed on the charter buses?
No, "all vehicular travel in Iraq is extremely dangerous. There have been numerous attacks on civilian vehicles, as well as military convoys. Attacks occur throughout the day, but travel at night is exceptionally dangerous."
"Travel in or through Ramadi and Fallujah, travel between al-Hillah and Baghdad, and travel between the International Zone and Baghdad International Airport is particularly dangerous," we're told.
Okay. Maybe a nifty tour by air then? No, the warning says "there is credible information that terrorists are targeting civil aviation," and planes using Baghdad International "have been subjected to small arms and missiles." Civilian aircraft do not have systems "capable of defeating man-portable, surface-to-air missiles," the advisory says, so use military or government planes or, if you go commercially, Royal Jordanian Airlines.
Well, remember, Bush specifically said progress was "uneven."
Pediatrician Picked for Top Health Post
Bush has nominated John O. Agwunobi , formerly a pediatrician here and now Florida's secretary of health, to fill the long-standing vacancy of assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Back in February 2003, then-Assistant Secretary for Health Eve Slater stepped down after losing an ideological battle with then-Deputy Assistant Secretary Cristina V. Beato and other conservatives at the department and the White House.
