.
I wholeheartedly agree with the criticism in the article by Robert Dreyfuss on June 4, 2012.
Robert Dreyfuss, a Nation contributing editor, is an investigative journalist in Alexandria, Virginia, specializing in politics and national security. He is the author of Devil’s Game: How the United States Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam and is a frequent contributor to Rolling Stone, The American Prospect, and Mother Jones.
Perhaps not a Neocon, Hillary Clinton on the wrong side of diplomatic succes
Here’s the book on Hillary: hawkish and pro-military, skilled at using human rights as a cudgel against regimes she doesn’t like while glossing over human rights abuses by allies, a liberal interventionist who’s on the wrong side of the administration’s internal debates on Afghanistan, China, Libya, and Syria. Let’s hope that Clinton’s next war isn’t Syria, where the United States is coordinating weapons delivery to rebels, including Islamist militants.
Former Cheney Spokesperson hired by Hillary Clinton
Though she isn’t a neocon – if “neocon” means someone addicted to the unilateral use of hard power to impose the American will overseas, regardless of the views of America’s allies, the United Nations, and international law – Clinton isn’t averse to hiring one as her spokesperson. That would be Victoria Nuland, a polyglot diplomat who previously served most prominently as Vice President Dick Cheney’s national security adviser from 2003 to 2005, during the peak moment of neoconservative influence in the administration of George W. Bush, before becoming the U.S. ambassador to NATO. She was appointed as Clinton’s spokesperson in 2011.
Clinton’s resolute hawkishness on Afghanistan
On Afghanistan, thanks to Bob Woodward’s Obama’s Wars and other reported accounts, it’s widely known that Clinton twice pushed Obama to escalate that bungled adventure. In March 2009, when Obama ordered more than 20,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, Clinton opposed Vice President Joe Biden and other doves who argued, presciently, that more troops wouldn’t solve the problem. The exact same alignment in late 2009 had Clinton siding with the generals once again in pressing Obama to add 30,000 more U.S. forces, once again overriding Biden’s objections. Perhaps influencing Clinton’s resolute hawkishness on Afghanistan is her self-styled role as advocate for Afghanistan’s women. Again and again, her advocacy for the women of that war-scarred nation has seemingly steeled her against the necessary and inevitable reconciliation with the Taliban-led insurgency.
Biography: Hillary Rodham Clinton
Remember when Clinton called Obama “irresponsible and frankly naive” on foreign policy?
Israeli Hawk Dennis Ross hired by Clinton for Palestinian Peace negotiations
Little remembered now, three years ago Clinton also shocked some supporters of Barack Obama by hiring Dennis Ross, a neocon-linked official from The Washington Institute for Near East Policy– itself founded in the 1980s by a former research director at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) – for in a vaguely defined role as special adviser on something called “the Gulf and Southwest Asia,” meaning Israel and Iran. (Ross later moved to the White House, where he led a confrontational phalanx of Obama advisers on the tangled issue of Iran’s nuclear program.)
With Ross handling Iran, Clinton then managed to slough off the other two biggest foreign policy issues to so-called special envoys: Richard Holbrooke on Afghanistan and Pakistan and George Mitchell on the Middle East. But her hawkish views on issues such as Afghanistan and Libya, expressed frequently inside the White House, often pushed Obama to the right. [Diary – Dennis Ross Back In Town]
The Missing Peace: The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace
The USIP involvement in US Foreign Policy, thank you Stephan J. Hadley.
Complementarity or Cooperation between State, USAID and the NGO Community
After Secretary of State Hillary Clinton introduced the QDDR as a major step in elevating development alongside diplomacy as a key pillar of American foreign policy, many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) welcomed the QDDR as the beginning of a better coordinated and more effective approach to global development.
USIP was among the organizations that contributed ideas to the development of the QDDR, particularly in the areas of stabilization and conflict prevention. Discussion of the QDDR and its goals will enhance the effectiveness of both NGOs and the U.S. Government in global development and conflict prevention efforts, particularly in building local capacity and promoting innovation.
Tara Sonenshine Sworn In as Undersecretary of State
Former USIP Executive Vice President Tara Sonenshine was formally sworn in as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on April 24. Secretary Clinton administered the oath to Sonenshine, who will serve as the State Department’s senior public diplomacy official. In her remarks, Sonenshine spoke of her career in journalism and government, and paid tribute to her mentors, including USIP President Richard Solomon. Regarding her new role, she stated, “If we enlist public diplomacy effectively, we can enlist the problem solvers and leaders of tomorrow.”
.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
Israeli Hawk Dennis Ross hired by Clinton for Palestinian Peace negotiations
So laughable.
.
Takes away all my doubts about the expertise of Zbigniew Brzezinski on the Syrian impasse and the few options available for a resolution. Takes into account the importance of discussion with Russia, China and India to resolve this battle. I miss the depth and understanding of the Syrian issue by both President Obama and Hillary Clinton.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
.
Poor choice by Obama Foreign Policy team for the Sunni alliance: Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. At the U.N. the US failed to find a compromise with Russia and added rhetoric insult. The US did everything to undermine the mission by Kofi Annan. Result?
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
.
The US and Europe were on speaking terms with the Assad regime of Syria. What changed? The Arab spring, true. However in my view, Syria is a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, along the Sunni-Shia divide. The cause lies in the US invasion and occupation of Iraq which has moved this country into the sphere of influence of its Shia majority and Iran. It’s not by accident another ugly suicide car bombing campaign across seven cities in Iraq killing 65 and wounding nearly 160 citizens (Shia pilgrims). See also the trouble in Bahrain where Sunni leadership tries to govern a Shia majority.
The Obama administration opted for the downfall of the Assad regime for short term political gain: hurt Iran and its influence in the region. An unfortunate choice as Syria is not similar to Lybia and is still a partner of a dominant Russia. Russia wants a conference with the bloc of nations in the region, Iran included. Hillary Clinton refuses and leads the conference “Friends of Syria” in search of a united opposition. As soon as another “friend” shows up Hillary dumps money, arms and provides intelligence on the movements of Syrian armed forces. Where have we seen this before, Iraq-Iran War in the ’80s.
Russia blames the US and Western powersfor their support of the so-called Free Syrian Army with arms, munition and funds, thereby undermining the last effort by Kofi Annan to avoid a civil war. The Russia will continue to supply Syria with the same plus attack helicopters because it’s not about demonstrations and protest. Didn’t the US and Saudi Arabia do the same to keep the Bahrain kingdom safe from demonstrations and protest by its Shia majority?
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
.
Never mind the austerity measure of his political party to cut $ 3.5 bn for future development projects in third World countries …
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."