Rice Saves Bolton (Again)
Word out of New York is that in one day, Condi Rice has forged an agreement on a cease-fire for Israel/Lebanon that all parties are at least willing to consider. Bolton has fumbled around with this for the last two weeks and hasn't shown anywhere near this kind of progress.
This isn't new, of course. Rice saved the Darfur resolution after Bolton spent two weeks negotiating to a stalemate. Many people on the left feel that Bolton and Rice belong in the same boat of neocons who simply don't get the way the world works.
I disagree. There are substantial differences between the two. Rice and Bolton may both see the world differently than most of the foreign policy establishment, but Rice understands the pragmatic value of diplomacy, when to press and when to compromise, how to minimalize isolation, and the importance of convincing peers of good faith in negotiations. Bolton doesn't get any of it, and that's why she succeeds where he fails.
Scott,
You don't thinkg they are playing the diplomatic version of "good cop -- bad cop"?
That's a real question, by the way.
August 14, 2006 7:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, indeedy.
Bolton is Cheney's boy and he does what the team wants when they have told Bush, not to talk diplomacy. Then when the team finally decides to put forth a diplomatic effort, Cheney tells Bush to send in Condi.
Condi and Cheney are the ones fighting over how the policy should go...Cheney has Bush's ear moreso than Condi, just like he did with Powell. They trashed Powell, and lately they have been trashing Condi in the press.
August 14, 2006 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jim: Your real question deserves a real response. In short, I agree with whiterosebuddy. Bolton and Rice do play good cop, bad cop, but that's not by State Department design. Rice doesn't like playing this game, and it's no good to have a loose cannon at State. But Bolton is Cheney's guy, and it looks like Rice would rather work around Bolton in New York than fight with Cheney to kick him out of the Administration or deal with Bolton in DC.
http://www.stopbolton.org
August 14, 2006 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink