Dennis Ross Is Moving To The White House

Critics on the left in the U.S. had said Ross was pursuing engagement with Iran only in the most “pro forma” fashion so that he could advance tougher measures.
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I have no way of judging the veracity of that statement but any story that includes “Massimo Calabresi” in the byline and ‘Critics on the Left” in the body has historically been shown to be full of it. I sure would be interested in knowing what critics you might be refering to and where they may have actually published said criticism.

Dirks, here’s one ex:
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http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090427/dreyfuss

Thanks, jcapan.
Unlike the information provided in the Time article, I actually now know who the guy is and why these moves might matter. So while being billed as a promotion, being ‘closer to the President’ might actually refer to shortening of his leash…..

Iran is in Southeast Asia?

Grisch, yes, right between Laos and Cambodia. Didn’t you know, it moved just recently–downright tectonic.

sorry. southwest, not southeast. long day. i fixed the mistake above. thanks for pointing out.

Michael Scherer:
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Gratuitous anonymous sourcing on almost every piece of datum imaginable?

…Administration officials told TIME.
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…placing him in the top ranks of Obama’s in-house aides, said an Administration official.
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…senior officials in several branches of the Administration confirm the move and knock down speculation that it is a demotion in response to concern over Ross’s positions on Iran. “Everybody knew his positions,” said an official.
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Ross’s new brief is described by Administration officials as “expanded.”

Check…
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An almost total lack of clarity about anything actually relating to policy?

“There is no personnel announcement to make today,” said White House spokesman Tommy Vietor, when asked about a possible job change for Ross.
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It remains unclear, however, whether his formal duties will include continuing to advise the President directly on Iran.
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If Ross remains central to the Iran outreach, it could send a tough signal to Tehran…
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If he is locked out of the Iran portfolio, it will be read at home and abroad as a further softening…

Check…
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Inside-baseball focus, with special emphasis on process and hierarchy (at the expense of copy devoted to analysis in terms of ordinary Americans’ interests being served –or not)?

The new White House position puts him closer to the center of foreign policy power, placing him in the top ranks of Obama’s in-house aides, said an Administration official. “He is closer to being able to provide advice to the President.”
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…confirm the move and knock down speculation that it is a demotion in response to concern over Ross’s positions on Iran. “Everybody knew his positions,” said an official.
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The NSC has been looking to establish a “strategic planning cell” that would oversee long-term Administration initiatives around the world, and Ross may head that.
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At State, Ross had to navigate a crowded field of players, including Richard Holbrooke…
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The timing of the change — and its leak — is intriguing.

Check…
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Copy including vague, yet strangely preemptive “criticisms” by inexplicably unnamed and unquoted leftists, seemingly mentioned by way of positioning the subject in the Respectable Center?

Critics on the left in the U.S. had said Ross was pursuing engagement with Iran only in the most “pro forma” fashion so that he could advance tougher measures.

Check…
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The always dubious and intellectually dull stenographer Massimo Calabresi?
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Check…
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Michael Scherer, this piece has very little credibility and even less value to most readers outside of Beltway Fo-Po and/or careerist circles. It manages to include almost all of the worst features of Beltway political reporting, and does so in a way that would be remarkable for its near-total lack of self-awareness, if readers weren’t confronted by such surreal, complete dis-connectedness on (literally) a daily basis.
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Let’s face it: this is a society column for Village careerists.
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It’s worthwhile perhaps as a cocktail party conversation-starter somewhere in Versailles, but offers a minimum of relevance and value to engaged news consumers –who are perhaps slightly unconcerned with the fortunes of elite public officials.

Michael Scherer:
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It just occurred to me…You know who would be absolutely fascinated by just about every sentence in this Ross piece?
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Joe Klein.

Kinda like speculating on Politburo succession based on who’s standing where on the mausoleum at the May Day parade – a good way to waste time and seem to be “in the know,” without actually conveying much of anything.

Scherer,
I’ll piggyback on Dirks’ question above. Who did you and Massimo speak to on “the left”? As far as I know, the Obama Administration doesn’t have ANY advisors on “the left” and there isn’t anyone on “the left” that actually serve as sources to White House Press Critters. Except, well maybe Bernie Sanders, an authentic Socialist, though his positions are very close, I think, to Dennis Kucinich, quite a liberal guy but hardly “the left.” I doubt either of them are going to be asked to comment on that kind of insider personnel move within the Administration, though. Maybe I’m wrong about that.
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So please. Inquiring minds want to know. Are these “critics on the left” some kind of boogeymen you and Massimo cooked up, or are there bona fide lefties loose in Washington consulted on their opinions that I don’t know about?

MS:
With critics such as these, who needs an editor?

Neo, it is what we are paid to do. If you think this is critical just wait till Amy gets out of rehab.

First off “If you think this is critical just wait till Amy gets out of rehab.” LOMFL
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And SZ, you could be no right-er than this above: “It just occurred to me… You know who would be absolutely fascinated by just about every sentence in this Ross piece?
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Joe Klein”
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Actually, as we’re well aware, with his son at State, he’ll surely have all kinds of scoop. “The Kleins” are a wonderful crossover family–propagandists all around!

In all seriousness, where is this alleged Amy?

According to KT, she is in Britain on a fellowship. Make of that what you will.

What I find fascinating is how a neocon and a non-neocon describe the same situation.
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Compare:
Ross wrote several papers in 2008 embracing tough economic sanctions against Iran if it failed to respond positively to diplomatic offers of compromise and engagement, especially with regard to its nuclear ambitions. In a new book co-authored by Ross called Myths, Illusions & Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East, Ross argues that tougher policies toward Iran — “either militarily or meaningful containment” — will be easier to sell if diplomacy is attempted first.
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and
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Anticipating failure, Ross and his colleagues recommended “prepositioning military assets” by the United States–i.e., a military buildup–coupled with a US “show of force” in the Gulf. This would be followed almost immediately by a blockade of Iranian gasoline imports and oil exports, meant to paralyze Iran’s economy, followed by what they call, not so euphemistically, “kinetic action.”
That “kinetic action”–a US assault on Iran–should, in fact, be massive, suggested the Ross-Rubin task force.
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It seems that “military or meaningful containment” is a prescription for $5 / gallon gas. I don’t think that it would work anyway. “Kinetic action”? Sounds euphemistic to me.
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Call it a prescription for $7 / gallon gas, region wide war, and a high risk of wmd use.
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Do people still think we could tackle Iran militarily like we did Iraq I and II?
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If they are, they are absolutely dreaming. This would be a major war, and over what? Better to carefully and respectfully assist the forces of moderation simmering there.

According to KT, she is in Britain on a fellowship. Make of that what you will.
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FT,
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So… who is this fellow and what kind of boat does he have?

afguy: It’s a ship just filled with fellows. I think they’re called aircraft carriers. Lots of fellows. Lots and lots of fellows. Making up for lost time and all that. I can sympathize with Amy though. I tried abstinence once. Worst afternoon of my life.

afguy: It’s a ship just filled with fellows. I think they’re called aircraft carriers. Lots of fellows. Lots and lots of fellows. Making up for lost time and all that. I can sympathize with Amy though. I tried abstinence once. Worst afternoon of my life.
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Must…not…tell…dirty…Navy/Marine…jokes….

Massimo Calabresi has become one of the examples I use to defuse my conservative friends’ charge that Time is a left-leaning publication. Given Calabresi, Halperin and Krauthammer, Time’s just slightly to the left of Tojo.