So could Rice do a better job in the Middle East if she were a man?

[marions ghost]

A caller to C-Span's Washington Journal today argued that the problem with the failure of diplomacy in the Middle East is because we keep putting women in the position of Secretary of State, ie. Albright and Rice.

"They've done as well as any woman could, but what we need is a man to handle this tough crisis in the Middle East" was his pointed message. (My brain produced a dusty archived image of John Wayne at that comment). The caller based this opinion on having worked in Tehran directing a building project and observing firsthand that theirs is a culture that doesn't really respect women in such roles. The implication was not so much sexist per se, as it was that it was unrealistic because female diplomats are not capable of overcoming the barrier of male dominance of the Middle East.

Considering Albright's and Rice's relatively different approaches, is there any truth to this? Would a man in the position do any better? This didn't seem like the usual rightwing BS because the rightwing has been at least pretending to support Rice in the position.

Comments?

[smoogatz]

1. She could do the job better if she wasn't a moron

in the employ of morons.

[wtmusic]

2. "They've done as well as any woman could"

A pretty easy target.

[leesa]

3. She's doing what they want her to do...stall. They don't WANT peace.

They are trying to provoke Iran and/or Syria to attack.

[sutz12]

4. I thought Albright did fairly well.

This sounds like another "Blame Clinton" idea to me. They never accept any responsibility for their own mistakes.

[bluerum]

5. "She" is not a man?

[sutz12]

7. That was actually the first idea that popped into my head.

:rofl:

[liberalmuse]

15. That was my first thought, too.

I see her as an overweight, middle-aged, incompetent white man masquerading as a black woman.

[marions ghost]

23. LOL

yeah, it's a pretty good disguise all right. So realistic.

[sutz12]

24. Sort of an anti-Michael Jackson, eh?

;)

[madokie]

6. you would have to screw a whole new head on that girl

and it has nothing to do with her sex, only her capabilities

[Crowdance]

8. She'd do better if she were a Democrat--it's not about gender

It's about ideology. Albright did a fine job of handling the ME. The problem is that Rice is a Republican, working for a theocon, couldn't-give-a-hoot-about-people agenda to own all the oil. Things are going just the way they want them to in the ME.

[kentuck]

11. Right. It is not about gender or race...

It's about her ideology and absence of any independent thought. She does whatever she is told. She is incompetent. End of story.

[Demit]

9. Her failure at diplomacy was a failure to USE diplomacy, period.

And actually, there's a little movement afoot in the admin to declare Rice incompetent, so I wouldn't say the right wing is universal in its support of her. I think the caller is pinpointing an irrelevant fact, that gender is the reason Condi Rice is a failure. Sounds like he was puffing up his own self, with his "I was there, therefore I KNOW " angle.

[marions ghost]

28. yes I agree

"her failure at diplomacy was a failure to USE diplomacy." I couldn't agree more.

However it doesn't really address the question of whether her gender is a liability or not.

So her gender does not offend male leaders in the ME? They just see her as "a man in female disguise" do you think? I'm just curious about this, because I don't have a feel for how male leaders in the ME would view her. It seems to be a topic that does not come up.

[mmonk]

10. Bad policy = bad policy.

No change in gender will render it better.

[dipsydoodle]

12. What do mean

"if" :rofl:

[YDogg]

13. She'd do a better job if she wasn't part of a corrupt administration.

[CountAllVotes]

14. doesn't matter if Rice is a man or a woman

Bottom line on this idiot is that word - IDIOT!

Sickening! No concept of reality! :puke:

To the Hague w/the rest of the crew!

:kick:

[Marie26]

16. Golda Meir seemed to do OK. nt

[gatorboy]

17. if she was capable of Jedi mind tricks, She couldn't have done the job.

Because diplomacy is not this administrations best strong suit.

[xchrom]

18. hey -- she's fuckin it up the way her boss -- a man --

wants her to fuck it up.

beyond that -- she her self is an incompetent boob.

[idgiehkt]

19. this whole question is so America-centric

The stuff going on between Israel and Hezbollah only has indirectly to do with the U.S. I don't think Condi Rice could affect it one way or the other. Well, I take it back, she could make it worse. The U.S. should not be prominently involved in bringing about a cease-fire because we are slaughtering Iraqis every single day, so we are seen as anti-muslim or anti-arabic already. This is what the U.N. is for. And having Condi of all people, as hateful as she comes across, and as reviled as she is for what she represents (us, and the quagmire in Iraq) at the forefront of this is such a complete misstep.

[global1]

20. Why Do You Ask - Is She Contemplating Surgery?.......

What will Georgie do? Oh - I forgot - he might actually like the change.

[Scout1071]

21. She would do better if she were human.

With any kind of a heart.

[alfredo]

22. She'd have to lose the spike heels and dominatrix garb.

Guys usually don't dress that way, especially in the diplomatic corps. Of course Bolton does show up at the Security Council meetings wearing chartreuse leather Lederhosen, fish net stockings, and carrying a diamond encrusted riding crop.

[leftofthedial]

25. it has nothing to do with gender

it has to do with her agenda and her utter lack of competence. Golda Meir was not a man.

[samsingh]

26. i think rice needs a mind and intelligence first

(actually she needs to not be evil as well)

[marions ghost]

27. right I think of her as intelligent

but it's used for twisted purposes. A tragedy for one who had some brainpower.

[samsingh]

31. agreed

[porphyrian]

29. No, stupidity isn't gender-specific. - n/t

[CJCRANE]

30. The PLO had a female spokesperson in the 90's..nt