TresSugar

Madeleine Albright Had Her Diplomatic Message Pinned Down

TresSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0700

As secretary of state, Madeleine Albright could use carrots and sticks to further the US foreign policy agenda. But as the first woman to serve as top diplomat, Albright also used broaches to get what she wanted! In her new book, Read My Pins, Albright explains how her jewelry box turned out to be one of her greatest arsenals.

Albright discovered the power of the pin back when she was the US ambassador to the UN. After the Iraqi government called her an "unparalleled serpent," Albright decided to make a fashion diplomatic statement by wearing a snake pin the next time she met Iraqi officials.

In the description for her book, we get a taste of how broaches went on to become Albright's signature as secretary of state.

International leaders were pleased to see her with a shimmering sun on her jacket or a cheerful ladybug; less so with a crab or a menacing wasp. Albright used pins to emphasize the importance of a negotiation, signify high hopes, protest the absence of progress, and show pride in representing America, among other purposes.

NYC's Museum of Arts and Design is also showcasing more than 200 of her pins and the stories behind them. Are you impressed that Madeleine Albright used jewelry as a diplomatic weapon?

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Does Being Pals With Sketchy Leaders Help the US?

TresSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0700

In case you guys missed the big controversy over the weekend, on Saturday Barack Obama smiled at, shook hands with and accepted a gift from the ever incendiary president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. They're basically in love.

Critics, like Dick Cheney, say the handshake could make enemies "think they're dealing with a weak president." But Obama says reaching out to enemies strengthens our hand. Obama thinks a little listening, opposed to heavy-handed diplomacy, will make foreign leaders on the margins cooperate with the US. Obama also pointed out that America has nothing to fear from Chavez since his "defense budget is probably 1/600th of the US."

In addition to shaking hands with a man who has called the US the most "murderous empire that has existed in the history of the world," Obama has shown signs of thawing relations with Cuba and Iran. Are you on board?

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Bill Clinton Says He's Cool With Staying in the Shadows

LibertySugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:30:30 -0800

Bill Clinton, America's 42nd president, says he's ready to stay out of his wife's way as she serves as president 44's secretary of state. Bill told CNN that he would act as Hillary's sounding board, but doesn't think he'll do more than that.

As for helping Obama, Bill said he would if Obama asked him "to do something specific." I could imagine Bill acting as America's on-call peace negotiator, dispatched on specialized missions.

Either way it appears that the former president read Cherie Blair's advice to Michelle Obama: learn to like the backseat. Considering Bill's expertise, accomplishments, and ego, it surely will take some effort to keep quiet. Should he?

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Obama Tells Bush-Appointed Ambassadors to Go Home

LibertySugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:30:01 -0800

Politically appointed US ambassadors will be unemployed starting Jan. 20, joining their fellow Americans also on the job hunt. Ambassadors picked by George W. Bush received notice this week that their services will not be needed even for the usual administration transition period.

As the Washington Post points out, Obama's decision does not impact all ambassadors, as many are foreign service officers heading up America's outposts in less crucial countries. But the embassies in places like London, Tokyo, or Paris (located right by the Champs Élysée!) will soon be led by those who have shown loyalty to Obama's candidacy and worldview.

Considering US embassies act as a powerful symbol of America abroad, and sometimes as the sites of anti-American protests, it makes sense that Obama wants to appoint new faces that represent his vision. Does that sound fair to you?

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Diplomacy 2.0? State Department Turns to Online Groups

LibertySugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:30:06 -0800

What do Google, MTV, Facebook, Howcast, and the US State Department all have in common? They're joining forces to fight terrorism, political oppression, and crime. Inspired by a Colombian Facebook movement against FARC rebels, the US government wants to take advantage of online youth groups that promote stability, human rights, and democracy.

In early December, organizations fighting oppression and violence in places like Burma, Egypt, Uganda, Darfur, India, South Africa, Britain, South Africa, and Turkey will meet in New York City to get the Alliance of Youth Movements up and running. The US State Department has donated $50,000 to sponsor delegate travel. Observers from Iraq and Afghanistan will attend, and participants from Cuba will participate remotely.

While they're taking a break from discussing how to build online youth movements, they'll listen to guest speakers, including Whoopi Goldberg. MTV and Howcast will stream the event live. Are you happy to see the US State Department support international movements, started in the private sector, that favor US policy?

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North Korea No Longer State Sponsor of Terror

LibertySugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:00:12 -0700

North Korea just got cut from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. By presenting the isolated regime with the carrot of taking it off the bad-guy list, some in the Bush Administration hope Pyongyang will honor its promise to end its nuke program.

A few days ago North Korea banned inspectors, raising concerns that the deal, only a few months old, would collapse. But after he determined the country had cooperated with verification requirements of the agreement, Bush made the decision to take North Korea off the list.

Before Sarah Palin called Bush's move "wise," John McCain indicated that it was a mistake to take North Korea off the list, unless it clearly showed its commitment to stop pursuing nuclear weapons. If the US wants countries to start acting friendly, must the US treat them like friends first; or, is removal from the terror list something that must be earned unequivocally?

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McCain and Spain: He's Not Confused About Tough Talk

LibertySugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:45:51 -0700

John McCain made comments seeming to suggest that Spain is a rogue state in Latin America, in an interview with a Spanish-language station. But his campaign says he meant to take a firm stance toward the European country.

When asked whether he would invite the Spanish prime minister Jose Luiz Rodriguez Zapatero to the White House he said:

McCain: All I can tell you is that I have a clear record of working with leaders in the hemisphere that are friends with us, and standing up to those who are not, and that's judged on the basis of the importance of our relationship with Latin America, and the entire region.

Question: OK . . . what about you, I'm talking about Europe?

McCain: What about me what?

Question: OK . . . are you willing to meet with him if you are elected president?

McCain: I am willing to meet with any leader who is dedicated to the same principles and philosophy that we are for human rights, democracy, and freedom, and I will stand up to those that do not.

McCain's foreign policy adviser followed up, saying McCain's answer was intentional. To see what he said, read more.

Adviser Randy Sheunemann wrote to the Washington Post: "The questioner asked several times about Senator McCain's willingness to meet Zapatero (and ID'd him in the question so there is no doubt Senator McCain knew exactly to whom the question referred). Senator McCain refused to commit to a White House meeting with Prime Minister Zapatero in this interview." The campaign also noted that Zapatero pulled Spanish troops out of Iraq.

The story is getting huge in Spain, with one newspaper explaining that "In the best-case scenario, [his answer] demonstrates his ignorance with respect to Zapatero." What do you think - is it worse for McCain to come off as confused, or chilly toward Spain, which is a NATO ally with almost 1,000 troops in Afghanistan?

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Should America Have a Diplomatic Presence in Iran?

LibertySugar — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:00:47 -0700

Iran's foreign minister has praised the US's decision to send a diplomat to today's multilateral talks on Iran's nuclear program. Meanwhile, the Bush Administration is apparently considering a diplomatic presence in Iran, the first since the 1979 hostage crisis in which the American Embassy in Tehran was occupied for over a year.

According to an anonymous White House official, the "interests section" would not be a full embassy. Instead diplomats would issue visas to Iranians wanting to visit America. President Bush has not yet approved the plan. Nonetheless, connecting ordinary Iranians and Americans could do much to reduce tensions between the two countries. Do you agree?

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Say What? US to Talk With Iran Saturday, No Preconditions

LibertySugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:00:05 -0700

A senior US official will sit down with Iranian officials and other world powers in Geneva this Saturday to discuss Iran's nuclear program, a move intended to show that the Bush Administration wants to find a diplomatic solution to the standoff.

The decision breaks from continued statements from Bush that the US would not join nuclear talks unless Iran stopped enriching uranium. In fact, yesterday Iran signaled that it will not halt its atomic activities. Considering that one senior White House official says the Under Secretary of State William Burns "is there to listen, not to negotiate," I doubt Saturday will produce any concrete agreement.

The Bush administration must realize that the US cannot afford to be left out of the talks. To see why, read more.

One foreign policy expert explained:

"He is there as the bad cop. There is nervousness that Solana and some of the other countries, such as China and Russia might be willing to settle for less than full suspension (of uranium enrichment)."

Since John McCain has hit Barack Obama hard for Obama's admission that he would sit down with Iran without preconditions (with ads like the one here), do you think this weekend could impact the presidential election? Since Iranian President Ahmadinejad plans on coming to New York in September, right smack in the middle of the campaign, I'm sure we'll find out how the issue plays out with voters.

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Oh Snap! Smile Diplomacy

TresSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:00:26 -0700

First Lady Michelle Obama posed with Indonesia's Kristiani Herawati, France's First Lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy, and other spouses of G20 leaders earlier today. Michelle hosted the spouses at the Creative and Performing Arts School in Pittsburgh, PA.

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