Back-stabbing at Foggy Bottom

townhall ^ | June 23, 2003 | Joel Mowbray

[TLBSHOW]

Back-stabbing at Foggy Bottom

“Many people at State want to embarrass the President,” explains a State Department official—a comment echoed by others at Foggy Bottom alarmed that some of their colleagues are so brazen as to openly plot against the commander-in-chief. Some of those wishing to politically harm President Bush are now in Iraq, where the President’s vision of a free Iraq is being fought by State officials on a regular basis.

Of course much of the rhetoric could be nothing more than boastful bravado—particularly since such comments actually help in a building teeming with people who openly despise Bush and want him to lose in 2004—but State’s actions have clearly undermined the President, and it is only a matter of time until it takes a political toll. In that vein, the White House would be wise to heed the advice of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who is renewing his calls for a “top-to-bottom transformation” of Foggy Bottom.

Although Mr. Gingrich’s latest critique—an article in Foreign Policy magazine—will no doubt be labeled a “broadside,” it is a relatively modest set of concrete proposals. Chief among them is increasing language proficiency of Foreign Service Officers (FSOs), in part by offering generous bonuses—so that FSOs can better communicate with the locals in the countries where they are stationed. Two other “radical” suggestions are more comprehensive continuing education programs and one-year sabbaticals after the sixth year and two-year hiatuses after the 14th year.

Though he pared back his original emphasis in the American Enterprise Institute speech two months ago on State’s incompetence, the title of Mr. Gingrich’s article, “The Failure of Diplomacy,” implies something about State that probably isn’t accurate. The natural conclusion one would draw from the headline is that State somehow does not achieve what it sets out to accomplish. The real problem, though, is that State is incredibly effective at accomplishing its objectives. Look at the record.

State wanted Baathists to remain as a significant part of the post-Saddam transitional authority in Iraq, in large part because Foggy Bottom officials believed that those Saddam loyalists were the only ones with the requisite knowledge and skill sets to effectively manage the country. Until new civilian administrator Paul Bremer issued a sweeping de-Baathification order last month—banishing some 15,000 to 30,000 former high-ranking party members from holding any public office—State was successful in installing Saddam loyalists into any number of key positions. One of the most vivid examples was State reinstating as president of Baghdad University Saddam Hussein’s personal physician.

Despite President Bush’s inclusion of Iran in the “axis of evil,” State managed to initiate talks with the reigning mullahs. This was no small feat. The approved talking points for the meeting were changed from the friendly tone State wanted to a much harsher one endorsed by the so-called “hawks,” but having the talks at all with a government that might be on the brink of collapse was a victory in and of itself.

Proving that they are, in fact, exceedingly skillful bureaucrats, State officials managed to conceal for three weeks North Korea’s March 31 admission to them that it was reprocessing plutonium—the first time Pyongyang had conceded that. Had State told the White House and the Pentagon, the talks with North Korea and China slated to start on April 23 in Beijing likely would have been canceled. But because of State’s “shielding” of the information, the talks went off as planned.

Mr. Gingrich’s proposed structural fixes of State could have a substantial impact. But it’s hard to imagine that organizational reform alone will cure State’s corrosive culture. If anything, Mr. Gingrich’s modest proposals do not go far enough in reforming Foggy Bottom. There are many talented and dynamic FSOs, but they are outnumbered by those who adhere to State’s culture, as Mr. Ginrich puts it, “that props up dictators, coddles the corrupt, and ignores secret police forces.”

If the White House and Congress fail to act on Mr. Gingrich’s recommendations, President Bush’s policy goals could be jeopardized. If they fail to go even further by bringing in fresh blood and outside leadership, the President’s political goals—namely re-election next year—could be jeopardized as well.

[the Real fifi]

Gingrich is absolutely right on this.

[Reagan Man]

There are still many Clintonista's hanging out at the State Dept. Get ride of them and most of the internal opposition to PresBush would disappear.

Gingrich's reforms would bring some needed change to a liberal infested bureaucracy.

[ladyinred]

Heads should roll.

[bruinbirdman]

Exclusive excerpts from Newt Gingrich's article in Foreign Policy's upcoming July/August issue

“[T]he State Department is too busy being ineffective to bother fixing its internal structures in order to become more effective.”

“Can anyone imagine a State Department more out of sync with [President] Bush's views and objectives? The president should demand a complete overhaul of the State Department so it is capable of executing his policy goals effectively and of redefining peace on his own terms. ”

“As the world's only superpower, largest economy, and most aggressive culture, the United States inevitably infringes on the attention and interests of other peoples and nations. A country this large and powerful must work every day to communicate what it is doing. The world does not have to love us, but it must be able to predict us.”

“[T]he U.S. government should commission a comprehensive study on the international press coverage of the United States leading up to and during the war in Iraq. The study should encompass state-owned media in the Arab world to determine if those outlets are a major contributing source of anti-American hostility. Private media organizations attacking the United States represent a different phenomenon from state-owned media attacking the United States. The latter is a government-sponsored act of hostility and should be dealt with accordingly.”

yitbos

[TLBSHOW]

I agree and they need to get rid of the rats at State as soon as they can.

[ladyinred]

Agreed. It is for the good of all of us, not just his political career. We need people at state who care about security , the rule of law, and the constitution. These people care only about power.

[Mr. Mojo]

Gingrich is absolutely right on this.

He's right alright. The Dept. of State is Arabist to the core, and should be reformed from the Bottom up ....if not axed altogether.

[okie01]

"There are still many Clintonista's hanging out at the State Dept. Get ride of them and most of the internal opposition to PresBush would disappear."

Before they were Clintonistas, they were pinko liberals. It goes deeper and further than Clinton. It goes back to the USSR and radical leftist elitism.

[Consort]

There are still many Clintonista's hanging out at the State Dept. Get ride of them and most of the internal opposition to PresBush would disappear.

Both Clintons had plenty of time to restock the whole bureaucracy with hand picked career positioned Socialists and lifetime appointed judges. We still don't know the entire extent of the damaged caused by not reelecting Bush.

[MJY1288]

Bttt

[lilylangtree]

Colin Powell previously stated that he wouldn't make any real changes within State. He preferred to work from within. Considering that some or most are holdovers from previous administration(s) and discontented, embarrassing Powell and Bush would be their intent.

[Moonman62]

There are many talented and dynamic FSOs, but they are outnumbered by those who adhere to State’s culture, as Mr. Ginrich puts it, “that props up dictators, coddles the corrupt, and ignores secret police forces.”

That sounds a lot like the job description for the UN, except they also prop up communist regimes.

[The Westerner]

On a similar note, I've always wondered why President Bush didn't replace Tenet at CIA?

[Lancey Howard]

A very interesting piece.
I think President Bush should try to make friends with whoever his peer at State is so that maybe he can try to persuade that person to ditch, reassign, or otherwise make uncomfortable those Democrat scumbags who continue to infest the place and conspire to defeat him.

[lilylangtree]

How about RAT Norm Mineta?

[KC_Conspirator]

Gingrich is absolutely right on this.

Yes he is. The State Department needs a purge of these Klintonista types who hate Bush. It seems as if everything they do is contrary to what the Bush adminstration wants or what is good for the country.

[cryptical]

The President has no peers, and he chose the Secretary of State.

IMO, it's not just the Clinton-era people that are the problem at State. The rot goes back decades, it's now part of the instituitional culture.

[Lancey Howard]

The President has no peers, and he chose the Secretary of State.

Oh. Hmmm. Well then Bush should make friends with whoever is in charge over there at State. He could offer the person in charge a weekend for the family at Camp David or something, and plead to maybe get a little help unloading some of the scumbags who work at State.

I dunno.... Seems Bush ought to try something. A little shmoozing couldn't hurt.