According to this report, the UN's Kofi Annan is the world's top diplomat Read about it here. I don't think so. Annan may be a player, but it's certainly not because of having any special diplomatic skills. That's why I fear Annan's involvement in finding a solution to the Middle East crisis is not only unwise -- it's dangerous.

So, how did Annan wiggle himself into the crisis? I suspect Annan's opening may have been the EU's Javier Solana, and Solana's opening US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. If you recall, when the crisis broke Solana first met with British Prime Minster Tony Blair. Soon after a microphone inadvertently left on caught Blair delivering a message through President Bush to give to Rice. Only a few days later Rice attended a dinner with Solana and Annan. I believe that's where it may have happened. You see, Solana developed a close relation with Rice and I believe he may have used his influence to bring Annan in to help settle the crisis. Keep in mind, part of Solana's security doctrine calls for creating a new international order through the UN.

The saddest thing about all this is what happened to Israel. It's becoming obvious that the war went wrong. In fact, many Israelis are demanding an investigate to uncovered exactly what happened. The picture that's forming reminds me of what happened at the Bay of Pigs. The US government assembled a group of Cuban freedom fighters and promised air support for their invasion. At the last minute, the new Kennedy Administration called back the planes. The result was their invasion plan turned to a disaster and the freedom fighters were killed or captured. 

Here's what I think: As in the Bay of Pigs, I believe Israel and the US may have agreed to a well thought out plan. But, after Israel set out to fulfill that plan, the US, for some reason, suddenly changed it. The result was the well thought out plan turned to a disaster.

A few days ago I was listening to Bill O'Reilly interviewing a former US Ambassador to the UN. O'Reilly asked why France talked the US into going along with a UN Resolution that later France refused to support Read about it here. The former Ambassador answered it was Rice's fault -- she said Rice should have known France is hard to work with. In other words, this former Ambassador also believed that Rice may have been deceived. 

This brings us back to the dinner Rice had with Solana and Annan. You see, I too believe Rice may have been deceived -- but not by France. I suspect Rice may have been deceived by the world's greatest diplomat.

And, it wasn't Kofi Annan.