Dennis Ross Stripped of Iran Brief? « The Washington Independent

If this Ha’aretz report is to be believed, Dennis Ross, a not-quite-special envoy in the Obama administration with responsibilities for Iran, is getting reassigned from the State Department. Last week saw the publication of a book Ross co-authored with David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy that floated the prospect of attacking Iran if other options fail. Ross’s presumed hardline background has been the cause of concern in and outside Iran — so much so that the department took to some bizarre word games to obscure precisely what Ross’ portfolio is.

I have calls out to the State Department to find out if this is true. Ha’aretz’s Barak Ravid notes that the prospective reassignment might not be about the unfolding demonstrations against the Iranian regime, but possibly because Ross has been rumored to be uncomfortable in his neither-fish-nor-fowl post. Updates to come when a measure of clarity arrives.

Update: Matthew Yglesias makes the good point that some of the scenarios Ravid outlines for Ross’s departure don’t add up. Still waiting on a callback.

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