Posted on 12/29/2007 9:31:15 AM PST by goldstategop
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
http://video.state.gov/?fr_story=a612472305e1c7e1c1c88bc1bda31c885fe77944
Independence for Kosovo
The United States fully supports President Ahtisaari’s recommendations. In particular, we believe that supervised independence for Kosovo is now the only way forward.
After the violent break-up of Yugoslavia and the ethnic cleansing that Slobodan Milosevic conducted in Kosovo, any other outcome, we believe, would result in dysfunctional governance, strengthen the hand of extremists and lead directly to new conflicts. The reality is that ties between Serbia and Kosovo have already been severed since 1999 when the UN Security Council, in resolution 1244, decided to remove Belgrade’s authority over Kosovo and place the region under UN administration. Now, over ninety percent of the citizens of Kosovo are Kosovar Albanians. They will never accept continued rule by Serbia. They are manifestly pro-American, having been protected from slaughter and exile by our troops. They will accept nothing less than independence. In the past eight years, Kosovo has strengthened its local governing institutions, including by electing an Assembly, a President, and Prime Minister. We see no credible option for integrating these institutions with Serbia.
Independence for Kosovo will mark the definitive end of the breakup of Yugoslavia, thereby allowing all the states in the region to focus on their future. It will enable Serbia, in particular, to move beyond the tragic and bitter legacy of the Milosevic era.
Nicky Burns is a clown, though a dangerous clown. When he was ambassador in Athens, he was a laughing stock held in contempt by most of the Greek government in and out of power. I was sitting in the office of a now very, very high Greek official some years back when Burns had said some particularly stupid, groveling thing about Mohammedanism. The comment brought gales of laughter from the Greek officials, most especially the one who is now so high up in the ND government. Then that person turned to me and said that Burns represented a trend in American diplomacy which would lead to war in the Eastern Mediterranean and ultimately throughout Europe and perhaps even America.
I thought that person was right then and I still do.
Oh Pleeeze! Nick Burns has done a fine job.
This article reads like a 5th grade rant.
Condhimmi?
The biggest danger right now is that many Israelis are tired of fighting and seem willing to accept any peace offer, no matter how hollow.
For the Jihadists, that is.
His service to the US sux, however.
Fire him. We need no Islamists in our government.
Ping.
Interesting.
I went to high school with Nicky Burns - he was always a snide little suck-up.
“I went to high school with Nicky Burns - he was always a snide little suck-up.”
Thank you!
One of the nice things about FR is the number of people who have insights to contribute about issues and people.
It is comforting to know that where now walks, and most unfortunately talks, an adult who is a snide little suck-up - surprise, surprise, the was once a ‘little person’ who was a snide suck-up.
Hah! I just knew he was like that. Did he run the then equivalent of the “Diversity Team”?
One of the things the Greeks hated most about him was that he seemed to think he was more highly evolved than the people around him.
He was your typical rich preppy kid, class president and all that. If I remember correctly, he had a little brother who was just as obnoxious, if not more full of himself. I hope he’s not in government.
AM, imagine the reaction of some chain smoking, Levantine Greek pol named Taki who came to Athens, with torn pants and goat sh*t on his boots, from a tiny village which never recovered from WWII or the Civil War to a pasty-faced, rosy cheeked preppie from Ameriki! I’m sure you get the picture.
This kind of personality is very common at State. Their arrogance is unparalleled.
They (many, not all fortunately) have a tendency not to listen to the people overseas deeply imbedded in the the front lines and go against reality and common sense when dealing with foreign cultures and situations, even though they pride themselves on being so globally "tuned in"
It gets the US in a lot of trouble. Vietnam debacle immediately comes to mind. Some of these people are called the best and brightest, but I am often not impressed.
You could put Chris "Jong" Hill in the same category as Nicky Burns, if you want my opinion. Between the both of them, they give away the US to islamofascists on the one hand, and the North Koreans on the other. Endemic, institutional corruption and incompetence at State.
Although about Nick Burns, it relates to the DPRK-Nuke-Appeasement debacle with Bush-Condi engineered by State these days.
“They (many, not all fortunately) have a tendency not to listen to the people overseas deeply imbedded in the the front lines and go against reality and common sense when dealing with foreign cultures and situations, even though they pride themselves on being so globally “tuned in””
There is also the opposite who “go native” so to speak and become not representatives of the U.S. and its interests but rather of the country they are posted to. Back in the Clinton days we had an Ambassador out in Laos named Wendy Chamberlain. She went native, right down to eating with her hands when lunching with visiting “firemen” from the States. I specifically remember her dirty fingernails. Anyway, if any American sought to legally vindicate American interests out there that in any way called into question the reliability of Pathet Lao regime for honest business dealings, she was right there, along with the local World ank rep. to make sure no one “hurt” the Lao commie genocidal government. Her job was to protect the Lao regime from Americans so far as I could see. Anyway, she went on to make a fool of herself in Pakistan. In fact she was recently bloviating in the NYT about Musharraf.
As you say, however, there are some very good people at Foggy Bottom, but they are, sadly, few and far between. In my travels I have had occasion to deal with personnel in a number of foreign ministries across the globe. Only at our State Dept. have I met bureaucrats not committed to the policies of the government in power but rather to some personal ideology.
Which brings to mind that wise quote once I heard. "What State needs the MOST is an "American" Desk!
Their frame of mind is "Rednecks vs Enlightened Ones." The tough realistic sobering attitude toward foreign countries is so confrontational and backward. Sensitivity and accommodation will solve most of the international problems. It was all faults of our suspicious and paranoid mindset. So goes their thinking.
This kind of mindset only appeals to domestic audience who will influence their career prospect. It never appeals to the hostile foreign elements and invites scorn.
These hostile foreign powers could see them in two ways:
(1) These hapless appeasers are nice packaging which contains the deadly bomb inside. If you fall for packaging, you will be blown up.
(2) These appeasers reflect the symptom of decadent and dying society. It only shows that, with a little more dedication and sacrifice, you can really bring them down.
Since their understanding of foreign culture and society is ridiculously out of place, they don't get respect even if these appeasers are doing all nice things for them.
One more reason why the Department of State is as useful as tennis shoes for a rattlesnake.
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