Armitage out of the loop? Negroponte in Iraq

[shockingelk]

Richard Armitage is out telling the media the State Department is going to play a larger role in Iraq, yet from today's Morning Edition ... http://www.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.php?prgDate=28-Jun-2004&prgId=3

Montagne : And when does Ambassador John Negroponte arrive, take up his duties? Today?

Armitage: Probably not today, we want a little space between Mr Bremer's departure because we want to make the point that John Negroponte is not Jerry Bremer II; that the former soverign, the CPA has gone away and John Negroponte will be the first ambassador from the United States to the new Iraq.

A few hours later: http://www.boston.com/dailynews/180/world/U_S_ambassador_John_Negroponte:.shtml

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) John Negroponte, the new U.S. ambassador to Iraq, arrived in Baghdad Monday to take over political contact between Washington and the fledgling Iraqi interim government.

The former American envoy to the United Nations reached the Iraqi capital late Monday, hours after the handover of sovereignty to Iraq's new government.

L. Paul Bremer, the top civilian administrator of the U.S.-led occupation, flew from Baghdad about two hours after the handover ceremony.

Negroponte at least would have had to been en route to Iraq when Armitage described the strategy of him not going until Bremer had been gone awhile. Was Armitage just talking out his ass, or did the State Department wish Negroponte not to go for a while?