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March 24, 2006

Uncommon Sense

I have never thought much of former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, but I must confess to have been gobsmacked by reading her OpEd in yesterday's LAT critiqueing the current administration's policy regarding Iran. Aside from the condescending tone ("The administration is now divided between those who understand this complexity and those who do not" ), I was astounded by the following example of how Sec. Albright apparently believe the world works:

. . . the Bush administration should disavow any plan for regime change in Iran — not because the regime should not be changed but because U.S. endorsement of that goal only makes it less likely. In today's warped political environment, nothing strengthens a radical government more than Washington's overt antagonism. It also is common sense to presume that Iran will be less willing to cooperate in Iraq and to compromise on nuclear issues if it is being threatened with destruction. As for Iran's choleric and anti-Semitic new president, he will be swallowed up by internal rivals if he is not unwittingly propped up by external foes. [Emphasis added]

Apparently, in Ms. Albright's universe, threatening people with destruction unless they discontinue a given course of action is counterproductive. But, on the other hand, two paragraphs later, she apparently endorses a policy of hard-headed realpolitik:

In the long term, the future of the Middle East may well be determined by those in the region dedicated to the hard work of building democracy. I certainly hope so. But hope is not a policy. In the short term, we must recognize that the region will be shaped primarily by fairly ruthless power politics in which the clash between good and evil will be swamped by differences between Sunni and Shiite, Arab and Persian, Arab and Kurd, Kurd and Turk, Hashemite and Saudi, secular and religious and, of course, Arab and Jew.

I'm confused. She is in favor of abandoning support for democracy as an overarching policy in the middle east in favor of "ruthless power politics," but she opposes threatening the use of force as a means of persuading a hostile regime to stop certain behaviors (e.g. developing nuclear weapons, supporting terrorist groups in Lebanon and Palestine, providing weapons and financial support to groups attacking US and Iraqi government forces in Iraq). I suppose, in Sec. Albright's world, "ruthless power politics" consists of snubbing someone at an international conference. Maybe it was those formative years spent in New York City public schools, but where I come from, listening when someone tells you that they're going to kick your ass unless you stop doing something they don't like is common sense. I guess they play by different rules in Georgetown.

Also worth reading is Daniel McKivergan's criticisms of Albright's column based upon her own statements back when she was responsible for US foreign policy.

March 24, 2006 at 10:19 PM | Permalink

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