Where in the World Does Dennis Ross Work?

Dennis Ross is the newly-appointed special adviser to the secretary of state for the Gulf and Southwest Asia. Which means he works in what countries? Who knows? Maybe the State Dept briefer can explain:

QUESTION: Can you give us - well, what is the State Department's definition geographically of Southwest Asia? What countries does that include?

MR. WOOD: Matt, I didn't --

QUESTION: No, you guys named an envoy for Southwest Asia. I presume that you know what countries that includes.
MR. WOOD: Yes. Of course, we know. I just - I don't have the list to run off - you know, right off the top of my head here. But obviously, that's going to encompass - that region encompasses Iran. It will - you know, it'll deal with --

Because why would you bringing the list of countries included in Dennis Ross's new brief to the press conference about Dennis Ross's new brief?

QUESTION: Does it include Iraq?

MR. WOOD: Indeed, it does.... .

QUESTION: And so, does it include parts of the Middle East?

MR. WOOD: Yes.

QUESTION: It does? Does it include Syria, and it includes Israel and it includes Jordan?

MR. WOOD: Well, he'll be looking at the entire region that will include, you know -

QUESTION: Where does that stop? I mean, you know, you have NEA which, you know, runs all the way to Morocco. So does it include -

MR. WOOD: Well, he's going to be in touch with a number of officials who work on issues throughout this region.