What the hell is going on over there?
Apparently, the White House has reneged on an offer to General Anthony Zinni to become US Ambassador to Iraq. A Washington Times exclusive:
The Obama administration asked retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni to be U.S. ambassador to Iraq but abruptly withdrew the appointment without explanation, Gen. Zinni said Tuesday.
Gen. Zinni, a former commander of Central Command, told The Washington Times that he had been offered the job by the White House national security adviser, retired Marine Gen. James Jones, two weeks ago and that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton confirmed the offer on Jan. 26.
"I started making arrangements," Gen. Zinni said, but became concerned because he heard nothing further from the State Department or White House. He called Gen. Jones Monday night and was told that Christopher Hill, the outgoing assistant secretary of State for East Asia, was getting the job.
Gen. Zinni said no explanation was given. "That kind of bothered me," he said. "I was told that I had it."
Tommy Vietor, a White House spokesman, said, "We have spoken to a number of extraordinarily talented individuals about serving in this important role, and have made no announcement about who will be the U.S. ambassador to Iraq.
"Obviously, the president has enormous respect for Gen. Zinni, and believes he would be on anybody's short list for a number of critical national security roles."
The State Department had no immediate comment.
Now I don't think it possible that General Zinni would mistake an offer of employment for someone telling him he was in the running for the job - not when the national security advisor and brother general James Jones is the one making the pitch and the Secretary of State confirms the offer.
This appears to me that there is some kind of mass confusion at the White House with signals getting crossed and one side of the building not knowing what the other side was up to.
Is anyone in charge?
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