My chat with Ambassador Crocker

Well, most of the regular DC crew is gone to New Orleans for V-Day. The CP house was more silent than I remember it being since I first moved in at the beginning of March 2007.

Still, I felt motivated to try to make a presence on capitol hill. I had discovered that Ambassador Crocker was going to appear before a House Appropriations sub-committee on Thursday morning, so I woke up early and made a banner that was a thought bubble which said, "Diplomatic Surge? Who do I think I am kidding?" Of course, I intended to hold it over his head in hope that there would be a good photo of it; however, when I got to the hearing room. there was not a single camera in sight.

It was funny... one day after he had been the center of attention sitting along General Petreaus, Ambassador Crocker was now in a room with less than a dozen people. Since, there was no press for me to play to, I decided to resort to plan B.

Medea and Ann Wright had suggested some questions to ask him if I could get the chance. So, as we were waiting for the hearing to begin, I chatted with him. He was very friendly toward me. I told him I had heard he had met with Iranian delegations recently, and that I wondered what his impression of those discussions was... and I also asked if those discussions had anything to do with the cease fire in Basra. He told me that I was mistaken, he had not met with any Iranians since August of last year. Then I asked if he had not met with any Iranians since last year, why was he repeatedly saying in previous testimony that there was a "diplomatic surge" that had been implemented along with the military surge? He looked at me and said, "Well, it's all very complex." I wanted to laugh! I simply responded by saying, "Yeah, I have heard you say that a lot lately." He didn't have anything further to say, so he turned around and sat back in his seat until the hearing began.

~ Midge