It doesn't get much better
I'm sitting in the sun, looking at gorgeous snow-covered mountains, listening to Saturday/Sunday afternoon (in Alaska) at the Met. The performance is the one I attended Friday evening, January 27th at the Met.
I'm also sitting here recapping the speakers I heard at the World Affairs Councils of America in D.C. February 1-3.
Highlights from the World Affairs Councils of America Conference
The Opening Plenary Session---The United States and the Middle East by Amb. C. David Welch, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs
"Those wanting to move forward; those wanting to stay the same; those wanting to move backwards."
Israel: two distinct states; Palestine must prevent terrorist attacks; Israel must remove settlements; Hamas failure to govern, renounce terrorism, recognize Israel's right to be
U.S. is Palestine's largest single donor. We provide assistance to Palestinian people not the government. We are training and equipping security forces.
EU, UN, U.S. and Russia meeting in D. C. the following day to talk about the I & P peace process.
Iran: Iranian people ok; a quarrel with Iranian administration due to non-peace atomic program, provocative statements and support of terrorists in Iraq; Iran has failed to meet Security Council resolution; we are beginning to put sanctions into place; Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorists
Lebanon: It requires more funds for aid in Lebanon; so far we have spent 1.1B since the most recent war.
Iraq: enormous consequences of failure; trying to isolate the enemies; Baghdad is the center of the problem; clear and hold areas and bring in economic means and structures to hold it: Iraq must pass new oil law; strengthen reconciliation; use it resources to build infrastructure
Middle East: majority of people quite young; regional economies beginning to do better; general trend of listening to voice of the people; steps forward overall
Q&A: Why doesn't U.S. use more diplomacy? Communication isn't the issue; it is cooperation.
Nothing new; nothing new should have been expected.
Chairman's Dinner---Speaker and Honoree: Secretary William Cohen
Terrorism: We are in a long twilight struggle against terrorists; collect and share info around the world; no place in the world where you can be safe; we are all in this together; More are beginning to see this; world is beginning to understand this;
Israel/Palestine: create hope for Palestinian people; Iran and Hezbollah keeping Israel and Palestine from peace.
India: will take India longer to expand economically than China because China has dictatorial government and can do it right now; India has democracy and bureaucracy which requires longer to get things done.
Iran: feels they have the control over U.S. and that the U. S. will be brought down; talks are taking place at low levels
Iraq: doesn't think the three separate states in Iraq would work; Turkey would feel threatened
Parting shot: "Iraq has no will to solve the conflict." "Bush should have gone with the Iraq report. It would have provided consensus." (dream on)
3:50:25 PM 
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