Remember Bush era foreign policy? In his second term, he sent the calm, collected, and brilliant Dr. Condoleeza Rice to wage diplomacy. She took the point on every major diplomatic situation and performed adeptly despite a wide range of thorny problems.Now who represents America? Diplomatic czars? Joe Biden? Obama? A former NBA All Star?Former President Clinton? The world is beginning to wonder as it finally grasps the slipshod international presence of America under Obama.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton certainly does not. Recently she snapped at a Congolese university student as if he had come to talk to her about health care deform. He had a reasonable question about international finance and asked her what her husband and Dikembe Mutombo's opinions were on it. Clinton responded "Wait. You want me to tell you what my husband thinks? My husband is not the secretary of state; I am. So you ask my opinion, I will tell you my opinion. I'm not going to be channeling my husband."
Brilliant diplomacy from a former radical left winger. Isn't the left the movement that claims that all points of view and perspectives, even from the Third World, have merit? This was obviously the question of a young man from a patriarchical society where men's opinions carry more weight.
It was not a tactful question, but tact is not the job of a college student. Hillary Clinton's irritated response spoke volumes about her miniscule role in diplomacy and her frustration. She could have passed it off humorously and kept the upper hand. Instead she revealed some of her rather justifiable anger. That rage should be kept away from diplomatic photo ops with NBA players and Africans.
The question also revealed the fact that Hillary Clinton has very little role or respect in US diplomacy. Obama has adeptly humbled his former rival, but will it end up hurting him in the long run if she decides to break free of this impossible situation?
No comments:
Post a Comment