We've got a whole federal organization for international diplomacy, which employs thousands of people, in hundreds of embassies all over the world, as well as right here in Washington, DC. Still, it seems everyone wants a piece of the bridge-building and road-to-peace paving action, as private citizens head abroad to try their hands at extending peace and prosperity across the globe. But what effects do these more personal efforts have, especially when they're not always conducted with presidential approval?
Blog Of The Nation
Where's the Pelosi story from Talk of the Nation? You're painting a picture of some kooky lady who travelled to Syria to make mischief. You've taken a story about one of the leaders of a co-equal branch of government doing her job, put it through the dishonest prism of White House propaganda, and made it sound like an episode of I Love Lucy.
Thank God there's a person in government with courage to face our adversaries, who is impelled by noble motives. (That would be Speaker Pelosi, a name, by the way, you never use for her. It's always Miss Pelosi, like a kindergarten teacher. May I suggest calling the President Master Bush. Now there's an apt name.)
Yes, the Congress should do their part of oversight in legislation, hearings, making of laws, etc.
But to Usurp Foreign Policy under the guise of an "equal branch of Government" because certain members and the speaker "don't like the President's Policy " is absolutely unconstitutional ! Perhaps we should now ask the third co-equal branch and send over a "few Supreme Court Justices" because "they are pretty smart people and maybe they can also be helpful." Somehow I think most Americans know this is NOT the right way to conduct Foreign Policy!
Congressional junkets to "ascertain facts" have been common, but Congress should BUTT OUT of conducting Foreign Policy. As it turned out, she didn't get the message right, but the press will spin this and suggest we give her a pass because she was "trying to be helpful." She is not trained as a Diplomat or Foreign Policy Expert, but is more like most Congressional representatives, merely higher grade political hacks. She should stay in Washington and "mind her knitting."
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As a US citizen currently working abroad in Vilnius, Lithuania and before this in East Jerusalem and in Germany, I find that many foreign nationals expect me to defend policies and practices with which I do not agree, some of which I find immoral and unconstitutional. Foreign nationals certainly understand that one can disagree with the policies of one's own government--they often do themselves, but I then have to explain that I may disagree with our policies, but that I also believe in the political process and take my role in that process seriously. Unfortunately, our Embassies abroad are among the least welcoming places with very burdensome security measures. These may be necessary as there are terrorist threats, such as the recent on in Athens, Greece that are often missed in the US media, but it leaves a very negative impression of what our country is about.
I think there is value to the work that private citizens do abroad. E.g. The Liberian Education Trust, a project of the Phelps Stokes Fund. The Phelps Stokes family played an active role in the foundation of Liberia and continue to be involved in a lot of education projects there.
The State Department says it supports business and academic leadership by identifying clear action steps that the private sector can take to suppport and improve U.S. diplomacy. From my experience with the government sector, this probably reduces the independence of the "non government" sector with a series of instructions and caveats.
p.s. I have no connection with the Phelps Stokes Fund. It was mentioned to me by a friend from Africa.
Isn't Nancy Pelosi next in line to take over the government should fate remove and/or incapacitate Bush and Cheney?
So why shouldn't she have talks with leaders of foreign nations? At least she'd be better prepared to do the job than the current occupant of the White House is.
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