SecState Clinton Says, "We're Doing Great!"

One would have to have a resident alien visa in Fantasyland to think a politician would ever assess his/her own performance and that of the party they serve as anything other than "perfect and getting better by the minute." As the Geek has been condemned to stay in the gritty world of reality, the self-serving puffery of Ms Clinton on NBC is no big shokku.

In her view the Obama administration has succeeded in the last six months in achieving a condition in Iraq which allows the withdrawal of American forces. Apparently the "surge" which was opposed by then Senator Obama and many others of the Progressive Caucus had nothing to do with the improved security condition in Iraq. Of course not, that would give credit to the icky-poo Republican administration, and we all know how dastardly that bunch was.

Nor could she bring herself to acknowledge that the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) which provided for the scheduled withdrawal was negotiated by a team which did not include either her or President Obama. Of course not, to do that would allow reality to intrude on the dream world of Ms Clinton and her associates in the administration.

She bragged at some length on just how well the Obama administration--and herself, of course, had created a mighty diplomatic coalition against Iran and its pursuit of the bomb. Leaving aside such unpleasant holes in the Mighty Diplomatic Coalition as China, Russia, and the assorted European members of the Billion Dollar Club, she is right.

Heck, she did not even bother to point out that the administration of which she is a prime member has not even pushed the Refined Petroleum Products Sanction bill recently introduced in the House. She must be aware that pressing hard on the lack of refined petroleum in Iran is the single greatest harm we can inflict in the short term. Still, not a word about the necessity of seeing this bill become law so we have a big stick to wave in the direction of Tehran.

Instead of addressing such centralities as just what real coercion might be exerted on the mullahs, the Secretary danced around the floor about negotiating with a government whose legitimacy is more presumed than real. Of course, Madam Secretary, diplomacy is all about dealing with those who are in power whether they are there via honest elections or pure force. Why belabor the obvious except to escape talking about the problems of talking without any credible set of inducements and constraints.

Among the constraints (and inducements) you did not bother to touch upon is the availability of a domestic opposition in Iran which we can support in a discrete manner. By not touching upon this open nerve in the mouths of the mullahs, you made the same mistake that the Bush/Cheney neocons did back in the period 2001-2003 when they did not bother to deal with the reformers while this group under Khatami was at its peak of success and the reactionary mullahs in a fever of fear.

True, the reformers are not in power right now, but they might be shortly. That is why the mullahs and their equally reactionary secular adherents are having serious attacks of anxiety.

Is there any wonder that the Israelis are having Xanax moments of their own? They are looking at an administration which seems bootless about the realities of what Secretary Clinton calls "intensive diplomacy" aimed at convincing the Iranians to mend their ways. They are hearing repeated calls to be "patient" and not go for the military option as the centrifuges spin and the Great Leader continues to demand that Israel cease to exist.

Is it surprising that Secretary Clinton was reluctant to wave her "defensive umbrella" in the faces of the NBC crew? When push comes to shove there is not a great desire in Washington at the present to enter into guarantees of territorial integrity and governmental sovereignty which would cover the entire Mideast against the Iranian threat.

Discussion on the potential ramifications and implications of the "defensive umbrella" would be a distraction and a diversion from the administration's "Agenda of Transformation." Right now, they and the Progressive Caucus cannot afford any side jaunts which might delay further the passage of the ambitious set of bills before them.

Ms Clinton had many, many kind words for China's cooperation on North Korea. The truth here does not matter. She and the Treasury Secretary will be meeting with senior mandarins next week. Considering the Chinese hold 800 million bucks of US treasury paper, it behooves the Secretary to genuflect (kow tow?) to the Boys From Beijing.

In any event it is easy and convenient for China and Russia to be cooperative about North Korea. As long as there is nothing at risk to either country, they will go through all the necessary motions. By doing so they pile up credits to cash later with the US over issues which do matter to them. Come on, Madam Secretary, you bloody well know that diplomacy involves trades and deals. Some deals are far more apparent than real.

The SecState skipped over much during her voyage of self-congratulation. For example, she was silent on Honduras where support for the ousted leftist Chavez clone Zelaya is slipping. It would have been embarrassing to admit that the Hondurans played by their own rules and we didn't like the outcome.

The reason we didn't smile at the result was that the administration is headed by a post-modern progressive who knows as much about foreign affairs as a gnat does of quantum mechanics but "feels" that democracy is somehow off the tracks if a fellow progressive is booted out for not playing by the rules. And, every good post-modern American believes that "feeling" is much more real and important than mere objective knowledge and understanding.

Nor was Secretary Clinton particularly effusive over the foreign policy successes so far enjoyed by the US in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Yes, the Pakistanis have taken the field against Taliban in Swat and elsewhere with some slight degree of genuine success. However, the substance has been far eclipsed by the shadow.

With respect to Afghanistan the Geek would invite the Secretary to rebut the contentions and arguments in yesterday's post on our forthcoming (self-inflicted) defeat in that country. Certainly your appraisal today did nothing to change the Geek's mind on the subject.

The Secretary attempted to rehabilitate the administration's policy regarding Russia following Joe (The Ever Expansive Mouth) Biden's assault yesterday. Her convoluted explanation may play in Peoria where it is not relevant but will fall flat in the Kremlin.

Overall, Ms Clinton, had your interview on NBC been a web post it would merit one star or less. The Geek wonders if you were attempting to delude the American public or are you simply living in delusion yourself.