National Memo on Sec. Kerry's superb work at State

[MBS]

http://www.nationalmemo.com/john-kerry-bittersweet-at-best-what-might-have-been/

Secretary of State John Kerry won’t trumpet it, but the Iran and Cuba triumphs mark the most monumental moment in American foreign policy for a generation. President Obama will be remembered for the breakthrough, but the craftsman whose name is on the woodwork is John Kerry.

Kerry has shown the fine stuff he’s made of this summer — reaching a deal on Iran’s nuclear program and normalizing relations with Cuba. Opening the Cuban embassy in Washington was a grand affair, long overdue. Palpably, the last brick of the Cold War wall fell over the heads of the Cuban-American vocal contingent in Congress.

Move over, Henry Kissinger, you are no longer at the head of the table, no matter how many more memoirs you churn out. Opening the road to China was worth writing home about — but over and over? Kerry achieved a way to find a peaceful footing with a true enemy, Iran. After all, as they say, you don’t make peace with your friends. Vibrant Cuba was left in the cold too long. Now I predict it will become one of our favorite neighbors.

But it’s bittersweet at best, to consider how such a capable eminence, Kerry, could have been president. . .You remember, back in 2004, Kerry was a presidential nominee before the American people snapped into seeing the ineptitude of President George W. Bush. Senator Kerry ran a good race, but the better man lost. A tragic war carried on, one which Kerry surely would have ended, knowing a lost cause when he saw one. . . .

[karynnj]

1. He really is the best Secretary of State of my lifetime.

(I was born in 1950 - so that goes back to Dean Acheson!)

I will always regret that he never became President and Teresa never became first lady, but the things he has achieved as Secretary are incredible. The really interesting thing with the Cuba diplomacy is that it can easily be the first step to improving our relationship with all of Latin America. It is also incredible that the author of this does not even need too mention the Syria chemical weapons deal, the brokering of the Afghanistan election mess, and the hugely important climate change pact with China. All major accomplishments in their own right.

In fact, looking at that list, I wonder if he could have done better becoming President in 2005. For one, he would never have had as good a Secretary of State as the current Obama Secretary of State. He would have had to deal with both the horrible 109th Congress and the forces already starting that led to the economic collapse. I assume he would have handled everything, especially Katrina, far better than Bush, but no one would ever know what the alternate of keeping Bush would be.

The one reason I still think it would have been better is that I wonder if his 2004 plan for Iraq -- especially the regional conference to help structure an inclusive Iraq might have ended the war faster and left a stable Iraq where the Sunnis would not have been so left out of power that they were susceptible to joining ISIS.

I assume the next two months will be stressful and I hope that sanity wins and Obama has the votes. There really is no good alternative to this deal.

[MBS]

3. agree on all counts! n/t

[YvonneCa]

4. I completely agree. You all know...

...my thoughts on 2004, but I do think he has probably accomplished a lot more taking this route than he would have as President. I don't mean to ever diminish President Obama...just that they both have been able to use their strengths and have made a good team.
I will always be grateful for Presidents Obama and Kerry.

[MBS]

5. " " " " " n/t

[mylye2222]

2. He would have earlier restored America's reputation in the world.

On Israel he would have mainly to woek with Olmert who was not horrible as Bibi. Yes the Iraq war would have ended. I wonder if he would have executed Saddam Hussein, at least not on Eid Day.

I think he would have found a great SoS... could have been Feingold or Boxer... dont know.

[politicasista]

6. Nice article

Last edited Fri Jul 31, 2015, 12:51 AM - Edit history (1)

Also appreciated the comments from former President Carter. They got some local play when he was in town for a book signing.

That said congrats to President Obama, SOS Kerry, EG Moniz, and US Sherman. They are did a super job in putting this together.

That said, hope that the WH and State have a strong defense of the SOS from an article at Slate.com that was written from someone on our side?

Don't know what the author's agenda is (or if there is one) because he had said some positive things about the Secretary in the past, if not, it's ok to correct, and is said to like the POTUS.



edit: deleted link, but will add it if needed.

[MBS]

7. Personally, I have always found Saletan pretty irritating

. . especially on the subject of John Kerry. I hope that the value of the Iran deal will prevail over Saletan's view of it.
Both the Obama administration and J Street seem to be working hard to persuade skeptics of what I believe to be the real truth: that the Iran deal is in fact in Israel's long-term interest . Here's David Wade, who was recently hired by J Street:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/07/29/which-side-is-really-pro-israel-backers-of-the-iran-deal-ramp-up/

J Street has also enlisted a high profile consultant to help with this battle: David Wade, a former State Department chief of staff and senior adviser to Secretary of State John Kerry. Wade argued to me that the battle over the Iran deal is shaping up as another installment in the war over who gets to own the term “pro-Israel.”

“This is a pro-Israel, pro-America deal, end of story, and winning this argument is exactly what J Street is here to do,” Wade told me. “The stakes are enormous. This really is the single most consequential foreign policy fight I’ve seen in twenty years in Washington. It’s a moment that really defines what it means to support Israel and to do what is in the security interests of the United States and Israel together.”

[politicasista]

8. Interesting

Didn't want to link the title, but that makes sense. Had done a DU archive research on background, but it looks like he some "centrist" pundit (according to an old thread). Guess he was trying to feed the left and right haters on this.

I also hope the ID will be a game changer for peace. That interesting the know that Wade is now on board with J Street, they have been tweeting out support for the deal. And he (Wade has been semi-active on Twitter of late).

[karynnj]

9. step back from his article and consider what he says

Up front, he credits JK with being honest and trust worthy. Think how many politicians or statesmen are given those high praises. Then consider everything you have heard of diplomacy. The fact that a person's word can be trusted is GOLD.

So, now look at the list of what he criticizes. If they have one thing in common they are JK correcting the record to insure it is accuate. To use one example, imagine he DID USE the reporter's error on Lavrov to make more of a point that he had to keep all these people on target. Sure, a very small number of people would think he had a slightly harder job than he did --- but he already gets enormous credit for that from all that count. Now consider the downside. He has implicitly not told the truth about Lavrov's role. BIG DOWNSIDE, LITTLE GAIN.

Here's another - does listing all the things the US tried to hide nuclear residue in their tests make it easier for the bad guys? First of all, all of this was already public. I know the NYT covered it. THIS WAS NOT JUST OK IT WAS NEEDED TO COUNTER NETANYAHU ' S FALSE METH ANALOGY.


you can go thru each and nothing was wrong unless you frame it that way

Another observation. Suddenly JK is a great friend, neihbor, or conversatIonalist. HE NEVER SAID THAT IN 2004.

[politicasista]

10. That sounds..

complicated but very informative.

Also requiring a lot of patience and skill.

After two wars, it is time to give diplomacy and peace a chance.

[karynnj]

11. thanks - agree completely it is time for diplomacy

It was a fascinating article. Even though the media has never been as willing to disparage people like either HRC or Jeb Bush, but at the moment I would expect either would like by called a really nice person and honest.

He incidentally is a Texas born liberal Republican. In 2004, he became disenchanted with both Bush and the Iraq war which he had once supported. However, the liberal Kerry with all his history was not someone he was happy with either.

[politicasista]

12. Makes sense

Your description also matches an old DU thread that described him (Saletan) in that way.

Either way, better late than never.

Never too late for SOS Kerry to get praise. He and P.Obama are doing a really nice job despite the roadblocks of Congress.

[MBS]

13. oh, thanks for the history on Saletan.

That explains a lot about the development of his perspective.