Over the past couple of days, the divisions within the administration — specifically between the State Department and the VP’s office — have focused on Iran.
Newsweek reminds us that the divisions are broader than policy on just one foe.
In the last few weeks, Cheney’s staff have unexpectedly become more active participants in an interagency group that steers policy on Afghanistan, according to an official familiar with the internal deliberations. During weekly meetings of the committee, known as the Afghanistan Interagency Operating Group, Cheney staffers have been intensely interested in a single issue: recent intelligence reports alleging that Iran is supplying weapons to Afghanistan’s resurgent Islamist militia, the Taliban, according to two administration officials who asked for anonymity when discussing internal meetings.
Rice has more directly clashed with Cheney’s office on issues like Mideast peace, where according to administration sources who declined to be named discussing internal deliberations, she’s found herself stymied in efforts to push for more engagement with Syria and the Palestinian radical group Hamas. A senior White House official concedes that even on what should be the simplest-to-achieve dealâa new relationship with Syria that would help stabilize IraqâCheney’s office is blocking Rice’s efforts to bring Bush around. The secretary has also fought with the veep’s office in seeking to soften detention policies at Guantánamo.
Newsweek asked Rice specifically about the disagreements, prompting her to say the VP doesn’t try to undercut her behind the scenes. The interviewer asked, “Not even when Don Rumsfeld was around?” Rice reportedly laughed and said, “You asked about when I have been secretary of State.”
No, no divisions there at all.
