Snubbing Turkey--State Department missteps played a part in Saturday’s embarrassing vote.

National Review ^ | 3-3-03 | Joel Mowbray

[org.whodat]

I wonder how many Clinton holdovers still work there?

You have put your finger on the problem with the state department as well as with all other branches of government.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for the heads up!

Asinine, this whole thing. Someone is trying to screw both of us...

I believe you are correct, and the culprit appears to be our State Department like the article says. There are waaaay too many missteps for this not to be suspicious.

[Welsh Rabbit]

Yep. It was Turkey who screwed up big. In the end, we'll win our war without them, and they'll still be broke.

[PhiKapMom]

I don't think Powell is trying to undermine the President at all -- I am with you that it starts from the lower levels who will do anything they can to sabotage anything Pres Bush wants.

I was just commenting that SoS Schultz was a real pleasure to watch at State. He did some housecleaning after Carter and would think that Powell needs to do some now!

Career diplomats these people are not -- more like clinton moles IMO!

[bert]

I wonder how many Clinton holdovers still work there?

Enough to screw things up.

[AmishDude]

Even though Powell was very cordial, our FM's delegation complained that their treatment by State was humiliating.

That speaks volumes. My guess is that "amateur hour" goes both ways. I wonder if State was a little insulted that negotiations were still necessary, given that the US and UK went to the mat for Turkey in NATO just a few weeks ago. Still, the domestic political situation had to be considered.

Asinine, this whole thing. Someone is trying to screw both of us...

You've got that right. At first, it looks like the Turks just had their national pride wounded by CNN, but there seems to be a deliberate effort to anger the Turks. One cannot discount the fact that the ruling party's negotiators may have made negotiations difficult and the "abstentions" are more than a little suspicious to me, but we need better negotiators to heal this breach. Time to call in Rummy.

[Sparta]

The State Department has done nothing but screw up since the whole Iraq situation started. They're the idiots who got us in the UN quagmire and now may have embaressed us in Turkey.

[Servant of the Nine]

I wonder how many Clinton holdovers still work there?

It is not the Clinton apointees, it is the career Civil Service poeple that all need to be purged.

SO9

[Destro]

If this article is true it is revenge against Rumsfeld, who went to Europe and acted like SoS instead of SoD and mucked things up the Gemrans and French. Did Rumsfled do this to undermine SoS Powell?

So did State muck up Turkey to make Rumsfeld jb harder?

[Destro]

from those that urged Kosovo and Bosnia on-fire the lot of them.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[dixiechick2000]

Rush is talking about this article right now.

[Just mythoughts]

Yes and he confirming what I said.

[a_Turk]

I don't have access to radio nor tv right now. Would you be so kind as to relaying any relevant info or attitudes from Rush's programme?

Thanks.

[Truth29]

"They may have blown it ... but it wasn't for the reason specified.

The Clintonistas win either way. They make the war more difficult. They embarass Bush and they increase the chance that Bush won't be reelected.

[rolling_stone]

In my opinion the state department is second only to INS in incompetece....They are infested with liberals, and give out visas like Halloween candy..

[Ranger]

Is there a realistic chance of a second (and successful) vote this week by Turkey? By guess is that they can't so soon without looking like they buckled to pressure. I'd appreciate your thoughts.

[dixiechick2000]

I didn't see your comment before now. Were you watching Turkey's Charge d'Affairs?

FWIW, I agree with your statement, too.;o)

[dixiechick2000]

He's agreeing with Just mythoughts post #15.