'Baghdad Briefing Returns' for Conference Of Neighbours

If I had any doubts that the Baghdad 'conference of neighbours' due to begin tomnorrow was going to be anything other than a farce, they've been dispelled by two paragraphs from the NY Times:

At the Saturday meeting, the Americans are scheduled to make a presentation to the overall group reiterating the oft-repeated United States accusation that Iran is providing material and training to Shiite militias that are being used in attacks against American troops. The United States also accuses Syria of allowing operatives from Al Qaeda to cross into Iraq.

Iran and Syria will be “posed with the issue of how they respond, not in a bilateral exchange, but to respond to a multilateral conference where Iraq is very much front and center,” Mr. Satterfield said.

The Bush administration's concept of diplomacy and dialogue is to replay the "Baghdad briefing" that they've already withdrawn from, admitting it over-stepped the mark.

Iran and Syria's response will be to say "call that proof?" And I very much doubt the Sunni nations present, much though they might like to believe tales of Iranian perfidy, will be any more convinced. Why didn't the White House just throw caution to the wind and decide to premier "300" at the conference?

And then, the only chance of any progress will be if the Moslem nations sideline the idiots from the White House and actually start talking about why the Bush administration wants them at each other's throats.