Secretary of State Rice’s recent covert visit to Beirut

* Submitted to various TV-News, Newspapers and talk radio websites July 26, 2006.

I am appalled and unreservedly embarrassed by Secretary of State Rice’s recent covert visit to Beirut. She sneaked into that war-torn country and then appeared at a large desk with the so-called leaders of Beirut with her sunglasses atop her head, wearing casual clothes, looking very much like a ‘tourist’ instead of a Head of State! She did not take questions in a press conference, nor did she even make a public speech unlike when she then arrived in Israel, where she was conversely seen in formal attire, with no sunglasses perched upon her head, giving a press conference and taking questions.
Was this a message to Lebanon and to the rest of the world by her obvious ‘body language’?
Who can say that she was unmindful of her clothing and just forgot to take her sunglasses down off her head?
State Officials are trained in how to appear in public for those who may come to her defense in this degrading issue of which, there is no excuse. She knew what she was doing. She has a Ph.D.
If Secretary Rice’s message to Lebanon was one of support for peace, she did not show it by exuding the respect that American Officials are known for.
That situation would be akin to President Bush showing up in Beirut wearing blue jeans and a ten-gallon hat: everyone there would have gotten the message, certainly when he would then arrive in Israel wearing his best dress suit.
If extending an olive branch was Secretary Rice’s alleged intent, it certainly turned out to have been a thorny rose branch instead.
Are we not against terrorists and not opposed to those who strive for a democracy?
Sincerely—in truth
Jason Greywolf Leigh