The thing that never ceases to amaze me is that "instant gratification" immediate expectation that seems to be the benchmark for success.... Adults understand how to suceed. Western civilizaion, before socialism, was capable of deferred gratification and built both great minds and cultures. Today, it is sad that most of the world reacts without a longterm plan to the socialist CNN style cycle of gratification.
Trust your State Department a little more and understand that your President is being successful - that is why the democrats who ascribe to the world socialist viewpoint have gone to thier nuclear option of opposition.
"Trust your State Department a little more and understand that your President is being successful"
Sorry I don't see it that way, and I am not one to blindly "trust." The State Department is filled with Arabist realists who do not ascribe to Pres Bush's democratizing philosophy, who suck up to Saudi and Arab oil interests, and worship stability.
As far as I can see, John Bolton is the only good man to have come in or out of State in a long while. I trust him.
State has another problem former Secretary of State George Schulz understood well.
"Let me conclude with a story from my time in office. When an ambassador had made it through the hurdles of nomination and confirmation, I invited him or her to my office and said, “Before you can leave, you have one more test. Go over to that globe and show me that you can identify your country.” Without exception, the ambassador-to-be spun the globe and located the country to which he would be posted.
One day, the late Mike Mansfield, already many years our ambassador to Japan and an old friend from my previous times in the cabinet, came in for a visit just before he was to return to Tokyo. I told him about my little test and said, “Mike, how about you?” He and I laughed, and he went to the globe. Mike put his hand on the United States and said, “Here’s my country.”
http://www.fpri.org/enotes/diplomacy.20020611.shultz.workofdiplomacy.html
As far as I can see, John Bolton is the only good person to come in or out of State in a long time.
I agree with what you're saying and I think I can imagine where you're coming from... my Mr. Burns post earlier was all in good humor. Seriously though, I bet trying to balance our relations with so many countries, each with their own unique, deep seated opinions and theories of American foreign policy [half of which are "straight out of a Tom Clancy novel" kind of conspiracy theories] is extremely difficult. My estimation is that the there are times that are really satisfying and no one hears a word about them and others where something goes a little bit wrong and the press is drooling for the story. Personally, I’m looking forward to the day when Iran drops its nuclear ambitions, stops supporting international terrorism and joins the community of nations. I believe it unlikely that Iran will do these things with its current government but as you say, we are all entitled to our own opinions.
I am of the opinion that our great nation cannot have too many partners for peace! Although I don't know your quality of work, I'll assume you do great work so I can simply say, keep up the great work!
Hey, Jumper.......sorry about the bad attitude.
I get caught around a TV set any more than ten or fifteen minutes anymore when the "news" is on, and it screws up my disposition for half a month. Spent most of this last weekend with one ear out for the latest on the House Friday Nite Fight, so imagine I'll be like a bear with a sore paw until Easter.
My bad........I owe you one.