This weekend, the big scandal was that a state department diplomat said the U.S. had been stupid and arrogant in Iraq (from IHT’s transcript):
In an interview broadcast on Al-Jazeera, the pan-Arab satellite channel, a senior U.S. diplomat said the United States had shown “arrogance” and “stupidity” in Iraq.
Alberto Fernandez, director of public diplomacy in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. State Department, also said the United States was ready to talk with any Iraqi group — excluding al-Qaida in Iraq — to reach national reconciliation in the country, wracked by widening sectarian strife as well as an enduring insurgency.
[snip]
Traditionally, congressional elections are linked to internal issues. In these elections, the issue of Iraq is important, maybe the most important in some congressional races in the United States. Of course, some historians, history will judge American history in Iraq. We tried to do our best but I think there is much room for criticism because, undoubtedly, there was arrogance and there was stupidity from the United States in Iraq.”
The second thing I thought when I read this was that if this guy still has his job by the end of the week, James Baker’s ISG must be coming out with something truly astonishing.
The first thought, though, was… how refreshing. Somebody honest.
He has now apologized, of course, but I can’t help playing with the alternatives here. What words would better describe how the U.S. has handled Iraq?
Would humility be the right substitute for arrogance? Let’s try that out, okay?
“The U.S. has acted with humility in Iraq.”
Err… that just doesn’t resonate with me. Maybe we’ll do better if we play around with his choice of “stupidity”:
“The U.S. has executed the war in Iraq brilliantly.”
Hahahahahahaha…..
I guess Fernandez had it right the first time.