>>>You say a lot of interesting and intelligent things, but that is the most ridiculous statement you've uttered.
>>
>>How so?
>
>1) She's the chief diplomat. That world is based on hypotheticals
>2) She's a public servant. Her mandate is to respond to public queries.

Yes, a diplomat. Do you think that diplomats tell each other everything, much less everyone else in the world, what the goals and plans of their countries are? They don't. International diplomacy is a high-stakes chess match. You don't tell your opponent (enemy) what you're going to do, necessarily.

I believe Tracy already pointed this out, but speaking publicly regarding hypotheticals would be of no use in the case of a civil war in Iraq. If she were to say that the U.S. would withdraw all our troops in the event of a civil war, it is possible that it would embolden the insurgents to escalate the violence further in the hopes of creating a civil war.

Hopefully, they are talking about hypotheticals behind closed doors. They should be preparing for what we'll do in the event that civil war does break out.