Sec of State Rice and "Transformational Diplomacy"

[pinto]

I found SOC Rice's statements at Georgetown University chilling.

She opened with a clear salvo, a statement of American unilateralism - diplomacy will no longer deal with the world as we find it, "transformational diplomacy" means we will deal with the world as we want it to be. The goal doesn't sound like recognizing and resolving differences in the national community through diplomacy. And couch it in terms of democracy as she might, it doesn't sound like carrying the example of self rule and self determination as the foundation of our diplomatic relationships. Nor does it sound like supporting internal solutions for countries' internal affairs.

It sounds like a mandate, imposed by the US, defined by the US and, more importantly, enforced by the US via the military.

Her segue into the military arena made just that point. Modern diplomacy will involve closer coordination with the military. No bones about it. "Further and further integration down the chain" she said. Speaking as the Secretary of State this is an astonishing recognition that State will become an arm of the Pentagon which has increasingly become an arm of the political interests of the Executive.

I'm not naive. I understand that American diplomacy has always held the possibility of American military might as a hole card. And it has been used in the past. I also understand that outside pressure - notably UN sanctions - has been used in the past toward a diplomatic end.

This is different. "Transformational diplomacy" is, in the best Bush doctrine tradition, really about dismantling diplomacy.

A unilateral intervention doctrine is just as dangerous, if not more so, as the unilateral isolationism some Americans espoused prior to the World Wars.

She made the Administration's case well. That's what I found chilling. This is their agenda, no bones about it.

[saigon68]

1. Queen of the Fascist Thugs

The look in her eyes is chilling

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

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[pinto]

18. I think her sex life is way beside the point.

[NoFederales]

2. Very chilling, indeed. Wed pre-emptive war policy with transformational

diplomacy and you have---what? declared war upon the whole planet?

The time is coming for a purge of these RWers, and American Citizens would be wise to do it themselves before the world aligns against us and LOSE-LOSE is our best scenario.

NoFederales

[jimshoes]

3. There's just that one other thing

called the rest of the world that might just give a shit what you jerkweeds have planned.

[geiger]

4. She's an idiot

She's been brainwashed by the hegomonists, national builders and cold war historians.

Al Gore knows more about the world on his little finger.

[Jacobin]

6. Well, they sure transformed the fuck out of Iraq

I guess Iran is next on their 'fixer upper' list.

I pity the nations in their sights.....

[Canuckistanian]

7. What motivates her?

I mean, she seems to be intelligent. She is from academia, after all.

What does she see in these neocons? What kind of REALISTIC diplomatic world does she think she can create? What world view would satisfy her?

It seems a shame that she she should be brought down along with all these other mental midgets.

[NoFederales]

8. Please don't excuse her, she's running with the pack and knows damn well

what the heat is all about. She likes it in whatever perverted way you care to examine things. The pack's crusade is all about dominance. It is time for citizens to divorce themselves from this animalistic grouping and turn varmint hunter.

NoFederales

[Canuckistanian]

11. I don't excuse her. I mourn the loss of her potential talents

Wasted on a pack of wild dogs who would sacrifice her in an instant.

But, you're right. She had more than enough time to reconsider.

She deserves whatever she she gets.

[NoFederales]

14. I salute your empathy and consideration for her; I fear I must be losing

the patina of my humanity. I despise being reactionary, or being so reduced in weak and angry moments.

Peace.

NoFederales

[Canuckistanian]

15. I feel like that too.

It's quaint and maudlin, but I share Dickens's basic faith in all mankind. These are not real monsters, just humans who have gone very, very wrong.

[geiger]

9. She's dumb and she's in denial

She likes being in the middle of things, so she has done what she needed to do to get there.

[Canuckistanian]

10. Pure, naked, raw ambition?

She made it already. She was the NSC Director in her very 1st political job. Wasn't that enough?

[TayTay]

12. Did anyone read James Risen's book, 'State of War'

I know this book got some press because it had the NSA stuff in it, but there was a lot more in it than just that. Risen calls Rice, 'the worst National Security Advisor in American history.' She was completely unable, according to the book, to do her job and keep Rumsfeld and the Pentagon out of the intelligence analysis. She was a weak NSA and she capitulated to everything Rumsfeld wanted.

There is every reason to believe she still is rolling over for ole Rummy. Rummy did everything he could to align State Department functions within the Pentagon so that he could ignore them. (Remember, the State Department had a plan for dealing with post-war Iraq. Rummy didn't give a shit about post-war Iraq and despised the whole notion of nation-building. The neocons believed that the overwheliming show of American force would somehow just cause Iraq to magically become a beacon of democracy over night. Idiots.)

This is part of the Unitary Executive theory. All power is invested in the President. And the way to the President lies through the Pentagon. Democracy gets imposed on captive nations at the point of a gun. So, how's that working out for us anyway? Anyone here made any vacation plans for that democratic paradise of Baghdad lately?

[geiger]

13. I knew I wanted to read that book

Thanks for the reminder.

[pinto]

16. She is, iirc, the only Admin insider from academia. Smart, but promoted

for loyalty would ring a bell here.??

I don't see any other reason to establish a faltering Nat Security Adviser as SOS. I think she's giving up the State Department lock stock and barrel to the Pentagon.

Just my take, I could very well be misreading the whole situation...

[TayTay]

17. That's exactly what Risen said in his book

I get the strong feeling that she was put in as SOS because she would roll over for Rummy and not put up too much of an objection when State was subsumed into the Pentagon. They knew what thye were getting when they made Condiliar SOS. She is compliant and perfectly okay with Rumsfeld's power grab.

[liveoaktx]

19. VIDEO Clip of part of that

Transformational Democracy that uses Diplomats and Military AFTER invasion to transform failed states

Bush has even expanded the "Office of Reconstruction" for that purpose.