Given the tumultuousness in many parts of America’s foreign policy portfolio, it’s easy to nitpick and criticize (which I do frequently), but I have to tip my hat to President Obama’s measured and positive comments today following the conclusion of what are officially called the P5+1 Negotiations with Iran.
I am presently a guest of David Bradley, Walter Isaacson and Shelby Coffey at the Atlantic Monthly/Aspen Institute/Newseum sponsored mega-wonk meeting titled “First Draft of History.” It’s an excellent conference, but I’m losing it listening to Republican Majority Leader Whip Eric Cantor essentially argue that there is zero value engaging Iran.
Politico‘s Mike Allen has the attendance roster for President Obama’s big Afghan pow-wow today: At 3 p.m., the President will participate in a THREE-HOUR meeting with his national security team on Afghanistan in the Situation Room. . .
Jackie Northam of National Public Radio put this clip together in which I comment about the multiple views in the administration on America’s Afghanistan strategy.
I just had a fascinating discussion with economist David Hale who thinks that the US economy may get a “dead cat bounce” in jobs created in 2010. Hale thinks this relatively optimistic scenario depends on the American consumer coming back to life.
German exit poll results are in. Looks like Germany may have its first out gay German Foreign Minister in Guido Westerwelle, who I think will do an excellent job in the role. Can’t wait until he meets Iran’s President Ahmadinejad in his official duties.
(photo courtesy of the Battle for the Bundestag 2009 Blog of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies) Voting started this morning in Germany, and polls will close at noon EST and 6:00 pm in Berlin.
I very much hope that the Clinton Global Initiative posts a video link to the outstanding gala dinner celebrating its Global Citizen Awards. It was a stunning event and made even a cynical realist like me feel good about the value of high octane humanitarian gestures made by others.
Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley is a favorite of mine among the nation’s governors. He is serious about policy and curious about both domestic and international matters.
Editor’s Note: Recently, retired 4-star General Anthony Zinni critiqued what he perceives to be an inability of the Department of State and US AID to change their operational dynamics to confront the realities of state-building in conflict areas and to embrace ‘smart power’ in substance rather than rhetoric.
