Posted by Carolyn Vadino on Oct 30, 2009 - 04:18 PM
On October 18, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice traveled to Jerusalem on behalf of the Obama Administration to deliver a speech to the Israeli Presidential Conference, hosted by President Shimon Peres. She also spent time traveling in the region, meeting with key leaders and making important stops along the way.
In Israel, Ambassador Rice met with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Foreign…
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Posted by DipNote Bloggers on Oct 08, 2009 - 10:40 AM
"Our goal is to prevent Iran from achieving a nuclear weapons capability. And we will work with our allies and partners towards that goal, as well as to counter Iranian actions that threaten to destabilize the greater Middle East and the rest of the world. To that end, as you've observed, we've pursued a dual-track strategy of economic sanctions and engagement. We think that only by using them together and coordinating them closely can we achieve this important objective."
Read the Deputy Secretary's full remarks here.
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Posted by DipNote Bloggers on Sep 25, 2009 - 03:32 PM
![President Obama with President Sarkozy and Prime Minister Brown, Pittsburgh, Sept. 25, 2009. [AP]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_0925_obama_sarkozy_brown_m.jpg)
"We are here to announce that yesterday in Vienna, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France presented detailed evidence to the IAEA demonstrating that the Islamic Republic of Iran has been building a covert uranium enrichment facility near Qom for several years.
Earlier this week, the Iranian government presented a letter to the IAEA that made reference to a new enrichment…
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Posted by Jane Daly on Sep 15, 2009 - 11:37 AM
Despite gathering storm clouds, the final games of the Al Hofra Soccer Tournament kicked off Sunday amid cheers and good spirits. Located on the outskirts of Casablanca, Morocco, the Al Hofra neighborhood is home to some of the most underprivileged children in the Ben M’Sik district - and some of the most talented and enthusiastic soccer players.
Sponsored by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca, and supported by the Idmaj Neighborhood Association, the event provided more than 150 local children the opportunity to practice their footwork. The competition was divided by age group, and at the end of the week, organizers…
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Posted by Aaron Snipe on Sep 02, 2009 - 05:57 PM
![Foreign Service Officer Aaron Snipe in helicopter flying over Iraq, 2009. [State Dept. Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_0902_snipe_iraq_m.jpg)
It’s tough to sum up a year in Iraq in one final post. The best summary of my time in Iraq actually lies in the telling of the tale. With more and more diplomats serving on Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Iraq and Afghanistan, my experience is not uncommon. Yet, I can’t help but feel there were, indeed, many unique aspects of my time in Muthanna. Unique because in the human terrain of our sleepy little province in the South, our team broke new ground with Iraqis.
As I cleaned out my desk on my last day in Muthanna, my colleague and friend Albert Hadi and I stood in the middle of our office gazing at the wall of photos,…
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