Senator Spector went so far as to aver that Congress ought to be "backing up" Mr Obama rather than wrangling over his proposals, policies, and appointments.
Duh!
What a unique concept! The US should drop the facade of representative democracy with untrammeled debate over matters of substance and consequence and adopt the posture of an authoritarian, one-party state such as Egypt or, just maybe, China, or, as a final option, Iran. This will show how serious the US should be taken globally as the "leader of the Free World."
SecState Clinton may be more than a little frustrated by the failures of the administration to accomplish any of its overly expansive goals in foreign relations. But, the blame cannot be put on the doorstep of Congress. The linkage between what happens (or doesn't) on the Hill cannot be legitimately linked with any, let alone all, of the gaps between administration rhetoric and foreign policy reality over the past year.
Pace Ms Clinton, but the difficulties you have been facing are not the result of Congress not confirming assorted Assistant Secretaries and Ambassadors but rather that the policies of the administration bear little relationship to the demands of the real world or the actualities of global politics. For example, the Trolls of Beijing know perfectly well who to call in Washington. They simply do not accept that the US position on many critical issues constitutes a coincidence of national interests between China and the US.
Our recurrent rocky road of relations with Russia is not the result of appointments not confirmed, nor is the consequence of Congressional inaction on health care but rather that the Kremlin fails to see a compelling need to agree with American policy demarches. The same situation obtains with respect to other critical countries: The Obama administration has not put forth policies which either arise from or reflect coinciding national interests.
The bobbing and weaving executed by the Obama team on Mideast and Persian Gulf matters has not reassured wavering states, which see themselves caught by external forces which are both threatening and growing. Neither has the policy of inconsistency bucked up allies whose future depends in large measure upon the reliable and understanding support of the US. And, almost needless to say, the exercises in changeability have done nothing to dissuade or deter adversaries.
With the sole exception of Afghanistan, the Obama approach to foreign relations has brought only stasis at best and decline at worst. Because we have the right man running the show in Afghanistan well backed by an increasing number of troops, events are showing an uptick in our fortunes in Afghanistan--and next door in Pakistan where the movers and shakers have seen enough handwriting on the wall to decide that cooperation with the US is essential if Islamabad is to have any influence on post-Taliban Afghanistan.
The situation in Afghanistan shows that President Obama is not incapable of accepting a healthy dose of realism, making a correct choice, and taking consistent, effective action in foreign policy matters. It shows that the administration is not totally out-to-lunch but is quite willing to take action even when the action taken is opposed rigorously by a strong faction within the Democratic Party.
At the same time the course of events in Afghanistan puts the lie to SecState Clinton's and Senator Spector's argument that Congressional bickering is preventing the effective conduct of foreign relations. The faults, my dear Secretary, Senator, reside not in our Congress but in our policies.
The notion that the entire Congress must fall obediently in line behind the drum majors of the Progressive Caucus and the Maximum Leader in the Oval in order for foreign policy to be formulated and executed effectively is as wrong as a cat barking. The expunging of healthy representative democracy in pursuit of the chimera of policy effectiveness is an idea so unworthy as to deserve contempt.
As Secretary Clinton must know, one of the greatest soft power strengths possessed by the US is the very spectacle of wide open, unconcealed political brawling both inside Congress and without. It is a spectacle which many people--even some Muslims--would love to engage in themselves--if only they lived in a country which allowed it. Our governmental inefficiencies--or at least those attendant upon debate, disagreement, and dissent are the envy of the world. And, they are a power in the world the potency and appeal of which should not be undervalued.
Secretary Clinton, Senator Spector, would you really, really want to toss out one of our most puissant governmental features for a little bit of bureaucratic efficiency? Or a tad of political ease? If so, what are you doing in our government rather than that of one of our adversaries?
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